Same Beginnings, Different Endings
by kyla713
Summary: This is a challenge that ericastwilight came up with to help encourage us to write. Every chapter is considered a one shot. A beginning is provided and each of us must write the rest of the story. Check out the others involved inside.
1. Corner Shop

**Summary: This is a challenge that ericastwilight came up with to help encourage us to write. Every chapter is considered a one shot. A beginning is provided and each of us must write the rest of the story. Check out ericastwilight to see the different endings.**

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><p><strong>Corner Shop<strong>

_Bella flipped the page and tried not to look at the clock on the adjacent wall. She knew time always seemed to move slower as she waited for them to walk into her store. They always came, everyday for the last two weeks between two-forty-five and two-fifty in the afternoon. _

_Customers kept her busy throughout the day, but the flow of people coming through the door always seemed to dwindle an hour before their arrival. She sighed and gave in to her need to know, her curiosity always got the best of her. _

_Fifteen more minutes, she realized, not feeling any better. Only six minutes had passed since the last time she looked at the clock. It was obvious that reading one of her favorite books would not make the time go faster, so she decided to straighten up, perhaps dust._

_She looked around, smiling at the quaint little general store she was the proud owner of, thanks to her father. Living out in the middle of nowhere, in a small mountain community, everyone knew everyone. There were no secrets and gossip kept most of the town inhabitants entertained throughout the day. _

_It was the only reason she had learned his name, Edward. But not much else, which she'd hoped to find out more about him herself, from him._

_She sighed and shook her head; it didn't do well to fantasize. The man had yet to say anything to her that wasn't related to his purchases or the store in general. However, his companion always seemed to go out of his way to greet her. _

_As she wiped down her counter, straightened out all the jars of her homemade jellies, she was compelled to plate some of the cookies she'd made the previous evening. She'd been toying with the idea of selling some of her cookies, pies and cupcakes for the last few days. It seemed to be a good time as any to give away a few samples to see if anyone would be interested._

_Humming as she worked, she hadn't realized someone had entered until she turned. "Oh!" she gasped, holding a hand over her thudding heart. _

"_I did tell you it may be a good idea to install a bell on the door," Edward said with a small smirk. _

_Bella rolled her eyes and laughed, taking in his appearance. His dark jeans were worn around the pockets, slightly fringed there from use. A dark blue button up was layered over a plain white t-shirt, but kept open. The hair was as always a mess of copper, brown and gold. She sighed when she realized he'd likely never forget his sunglasses, no matter the weather. She longed to know the color behind them._

"_Hello, Edward. Where's my little buddy?" she asked, walking toward the counter again._

"_You mean you weren't waiting for me?" he asked, feigning hurt with pout. Shocked, Bella raised an eyebrow in confusion. Edward had never actually teased her before. When she hadn't answered, his pout turned to a frown and she heard him curse under his breath. _

_Before she could respond, her little buddy nudged the back of Edward's thigh. Bella couldn't help but smile and knelt down to greet him. _

"_Hi_, Max," Bella called to the dog standing behind Edward, who immediately began wagging his tail and closed the distance between them quickly. She began to laugh as he covered her face in kisses, becoming so eager that he knocked her back onto the floor.

"Oh my God, Max. No!" Edward scolded him as the dog stood over Bella, reclaiming the end of the leash in his hand. "Bella, I'm so sorry. Are you okay?"

Bella continued to giggle as she ruffled the top of Max's head, who now sat at his master's feet, and then she looked to Edward's offered hand to help her up. Her eyes rose to meet his and her laughter abruptly ceased as she suddenly became aware that, not only had he teased her as he'd never done before, but he'd _spoken_ to her. _Directly_ to her, without the underlying purpose of business. Her throat went dry, preventing her from uttering a single word, even if any had come to mind in that instant.

Max whimpered beside them, snapping Bella back to the moment and she finally took his hand to rise from the floor.

"It's fine, really. I used to have a Shepard mix when I was a kid, so it doesn't bother me," Bella replied with the attempt at a smile and non-chalance, but she couldn't take her eyes off Edward's tall, slender frame while the warmth of his hand still radiated through hers and up her arm.

As soon as he was certain that she was steady on her feet, he quickly released his hold on her, shoving his hand into his pocket. "You're sure you're all right? I swear, I don't know what's gotten into him lately. He's usually so sedate, I have to make sure he's even _breathing_ at times."

Bella laughed softly with a nod, stepping back toward the counter to where the plate of cookies was. "Yeah, I'm fine. What kind of dog is he, anyway?"

Edward's eyes met hers as she held up one of the cookies in question, motioning toward the Max, who sat at his feet, but his whole hind end still moved with his wagging tail. After she assured him that it was only peanut butter, no chocolate whatsoever, he shrugged with a nod. He felt so nervous talking to her, something he'd never experienced with _any_ woman, and he didn't know what to make of it. When he didn't answer after a moment, she looked back up from the dog and smiled at Edward, offering him a cookie as well. "No, thank you. I'm on a special diet."

Bella lifted her eyebrow at him and her eyes ran the length of his body, noting his toned abdomen under his fitted t-shirt and muscular thighs beneath the faded denim of his jeans. _Is he trying to avoid hurting my feelings or something? _she thought to herself as she brought the cookie to her own lips. "You sure don't _look_ like you need any kind of diet."

Edward lowered his head to hide the embarrassment at her appraisal and what seemed like a compliment. He shifted his attention back to Max, rubbing the top of his head and quickly trying to change the subject. "Uh, I'm really not sure what breed he is, actually. He was my girlfriend's … _ex _-girlfriend's dog. He was an unfortunate casualty in the midst of a break-up."

Bella's eyes grew sad and she looked back down to the dog, a frown curling her lips downward and he found that he really didn't like it. "Well, he certainly doesn't look any worse for the wear. Must have a really good master, don't you?"

Edward watched as her smile returned while speaking to Max and felt that strange tightening in his chest release. "I don't know about _that_."

Bella felt the familiar shiver run through her at the softness of his tone, suddenly nervous again in his presence and finding herself with nothing to say. Her back straightened and she moved back behind the counter, straightening everything there needlessly to give her hands something to do. "So, what'll it be today?"

Edward released a slow breath, his body relaxing as the comfortable conversation resumed between them. Just as quickly, the nerves began building again and he swallowed hard, his gaze moving around the small store for some logical reason for him to be there. He obviously couldn't reveal the truth; that stopping there every day to see her smile had become almost as necessary as breathing and he couldn't explain why. And even when he made the feeble attempt of resisting the urge to step through that door, Max would tug relentlessly on the leash he held, lunging toward the store and bringing their daily walk to an abrupt end. "Soap."

His sudden answer caught her by surprise after several moments of silence and her eyebrows tightened. "Soap?"

"Yeah. I really like the soap from here. Doesn't leave that film you get from commercial stuff on your skin," Edward replied in a rush and immediately began cursing himself. _Real smooth. She's going to think you're a _total_ idiot now,_ he internally groaned and even Max released a huffy sigh, as if completely agreeing with his thoughts.

But Bella only smiled in response. "It's an old family recipe. I use it myself."

Of course, Edward knew that. Whenever he got close enough to her, he could smell the soft, but not perfumy, scent of her skin, only heightening his desire to use it as well. And whenever he caught the scent of it, he would instantly think of her. Had he _always_ been that pathetic? No. But it was safe, without opening himself up to hurt again. Yet, how long could that go on? It was a lonely way to live his life. Summoning his courage, he cleared his throat and looked at her, uttering the words he'd been trying to get out for weeks. "Actually, Bella. I was wondering if you had any plans for the evening?"

Bella's stomach flipped and her throat tightened. Was he asking her out on a date? Her heart felt as if it was going to pound straight out of her chest, and while she wished she could just come out and say yes, she knew she needed to refrain. Everyone had baggage, but hers was a little out of the ordinary. "Actually, I have plans for tonight. I'm sorry."

"Oh, no problem," Edward replied, his eyes falling to his feet. _Now, I _really_ feel like an idiot, _he chastised himself in his head. Why _wouldn't_ a beautiful woman like Bella have plans? Probably with some great guy, no doubt. It was so presumptuous and stupid to think that someone as sweet and lovely as she was would be single.

"Maybe some other time?" Bella added, noticing the embarrassed look on his face and feeling horrible for being the one who put it there.

"Sure," Edward replied with a half-smile and a nod, walking over to the shelves and grabbing a bar of soap, wrapped in brown paper and a rough length of twine. He paid for it quickly and his fingers lightly brushed hers as she handed him the back and receipt. "So, I guess I'll see you tomorrow? Now that you've spoiled Max here with your cookies."

Bella flexed her hand beneath the counter, hiding the effect his touch had left on her skin. It still tingled for several moments as they stood staring at each other, until she finally collected herself enough to reply. "Yeah, I'll be here."

_Well, no kidding, oh queen of the obvious. Where _else _would you be?_ she internally chortled, resisting the urge to cover her face with her palm at the stupid remark.

"Okay, see you then. Come on, Max," Edward said gently and her eyes followed them as they walked out the door.

The hours passed slowly as she waited for five o' clock to arrive so she could finally lock up for the night, but Edward never left her thoughts. He was so nervous when he'd asked her about her plans for the evening, and the innocent, almost childlike, disappointment was written all over his face at her reply, and it made her chest ache. It seemed a strange reaction from a man she'd envisioned in her mind of exuding such confidence, even though she knew barely anything about him. She wanted to, but how would he react to knowing everything about her?

As the door opened again, she looked up with the foolish hope that he had returned, but the smiling face that met her was not Edward. "Hey, Charlie!"

The dark-haired little boy ran across the store, wrapping his arms around her legs before looking up to the counter. "Cookies for me?"

Bella laughed, looking up to her roommate, Angela, who followed behind her. "Maybe after dinner."

Charlie sighed dramatically. "O_kay_. Can I go watch cartoons?"

"Sure. Go on upstairs with Angela and I'll be there in a bit after I lock up," Bella replied, ruffling his hair with her hand and looked up at her friend. "So, how'd it go?"

Angela's head shifted from side to side with an uncertain look on her face as Charlie took off toward the stairs. "He's still not saying much. But it will take some time, Bella."

Bella nodded sadly, sighing as Angela patted her shoulder gently in passing before following the little boy to the upstairs apartment.

**x-x-x**

"So, did he show today?" Angela asked as she Bella stood at the stove making macaroni and cheese for dinner—Charlie's frequent request.

"Yeah," Bella answered with a sigh as she stirred, watching the pasta swirl in the boiling water. At times, she regretted mentioning the handsome stranger to Angela, who had been a little _too_ excited at the prospect that she'd finally begun noticing the opposite sex again. But at others, it felt good to have someone to talk to about the confusing emotions whirling within her. "He needed soap."

"Soap?" Angela asked, lowering her voice sarcastically. "Didn't he _just _buy some last week?"

"And _who's_ keeping tabs? I don't know, maybe he showers a lot. He _does_ look like one of those really clean guys that bathes two or three times a day, and I can't recall a single instance where he stunk," Bella replied, attempting to keep the defensive tone from her voice. "He did talk to me some today. Mostly about his _ex-girlfriend's _dog. And then, kinda asked me out tonight."

Angela's eyes widened as Bella turned to pour the contents of the pan into the strainer in the sink. "And you're here with us making dinner, _why_? From what you've told me, he's hot, sweet, loves his dog, and now very clean and available. Where's the problem here?"

Bella sighed and looked to Angela, gesturing her hand to Charlie, sitting in the living room and talking along with Blue's Clues on the television. "How would I explain this? I'm not in any position to think about my love life, Ang."

"Oh, no, Isabella Swan. You are not using Charlie as an excuse," Angela admonished her with a shake of her head. "You just tell him the truth. It's nothing to be ashamed of."

"I'm not ashamed. It's just a lot for a young, single guy to take on. And now is not the time to be bringing strange men into Charlie's life," Bella replied nervously.

"Bella, have you ever thought that it might be good for him to have something normal like that around? It's been over a year, and he lives with two women. A male role model might actually be beneficial to him. He's five, he wouldn't need to know anything more or less at first than you have a male friend," Angela said softly, keeping her voice low as she spoke to prevent the little boy from overhearing. "And _you_ could definitely benefit from some regular sex."

"Angela!" Bella exclaimed, the pot falling from her hand and onto the floor, catching Charlie's attention from the next room. She smiled at him in an effort to relieve the worry lines from his forehead and the corners of his little mouth, and then looked back to her friend with narrowed eyes. "_That_ is definitely the last thing on my mind, and is not up for discussion, now or _any time_ in the near future. Wash up for dinner, Charlie!"

"I'm just saying, you're pretty tensed up there, babe," Angela replied with a carefree shrug as she left the room to help get Charlie ready for dinner, and Bella groaned in frustration. "That's proof right there!"

Bella rolled her eyes at Angela's voice carrying down the hallway from the bathroom, and half-heartedly flipped the bird in her general direction.

**x-x-x**

All night and throughout the following morning, Bella's mind whirled with thoughts of Edward, and Angela's words from the night before. She couldn't deny that having a man in Charlie's life might not have been the _worst _thing for him, but was _she_ really ready for that kind of change as well? She was finally comfortable in her life; she had the store that sufficiently provided for their needs, a great roommate, though occasionally aggravating, and the never-ending activity that surrounded raising five-year-old Charlie. Would a man, even one as intriguing and undeniably attractive as Edward, disrupt that dynamic she'd established?

However, she also couldn't pretend that when each day was done and she was left alone to her thoughts as she lay down to sleep, the one void within her made itself clearly apparent. She _was_ lonely, even with the fullness of her life otherwise. She longed for the warmth provided by a strong pair of arms wrapping around her at night, someone there to talk to about their days, and comfort each other through the rough ones. And yeah, she was a grown woman, and sex wouldn't exactly be objectionable, either.

"Damn it, Angela," she muttered under her breath with her hand rubbing her forehead as she fought to dispel those thoughts.

A bell chimed from above the door and she glanced up quickly, finding Edward standing stationary and looking up, and she smiled.

"Someone suggested a bell to me once or twice, and I took him up on his advice this morning," she teased lightly, partially in an attempt to ease any lingering tension from the day before, and partially to soothe her raging nerves.

Edward's answering smile as their gazes met accomplished just the opposite within her, however, and her mind returned to her previous thoughts. "Well, that was a pretty brilliant idea. And adds a certain charm to the place. You should definitely thank him."

A soft, impatient bark sounded from beside them with Max announcing his presence as well, causing them both to chuckle and slightly breaking the tension between them at last. "Max, behave yourself. You're fortunate this lovely lady allows you in here, you mangy mutt. Mind your manners."

Bella released a hearty laugh as the dog obediently sat at his feet with Edward's teasing, looking up at him for the expected praise. "Dogs are people, too. Isn't that right, buddy? And besides, service animals are always welcome," she cooed at him, grabbing one of the fresh cookies from that morning and holding a piece out to him.

"And what service does he provide?" Edward asked curiously.

"Well, he always makes me smile, doesn't he?" Bella replied, catching a glimpse of her watch on her other arm, his brow furrowing when she noticed that it was only just a little after one. "You're early today."

Edward shifted uncomfortably and nodded, his eyes lowering. "Yeah, slow day at work. And this guy was insistent on his walk anyway."

"Ah, I see," Bella replied, hoping her disappointment that he hadn't come to see her wasn't obvious in her voice. It was a ridiculous thought anyway, given the current circumstances. "Listen, Edward, about yesterday—"

Edward shook his head before she could finish, waving his hand dismissively. "Don't worry about it, Bella. It was a stupid question. You don't know me from a hole in the wall. I'm sure the last thing you need is for a customer to start hitting on you. I mean, not _hitting_ on you, but … well, you know. It was just inappropriate."

Bella couldn't help but smile at the flustered sound of his voice and look on his face as he stumbled over his words, and pinched her lips together to hide her amusement. The last thing she wanted to do was embarrass him more. "What I was _going_ say was, it's been a bit slow here today as well, and I was thinking about closing up early for the evening. So, if you weren't busy, I'd like to take you up on seeing you tonight. Maybe meet up around four?"

Edward's face brightened a little at her words and his mouth twitched slightly with the hint of a smile. "Sure. I'd like that. I was planning on taking Max to the park across the street later, since it's actually nice out. Would you like to meet there?"

"Yeah, that sounds great. I'll bring some sandwiches or something," Bella replied, the butterflies fluttering in her stomach with the renewed nervousness.

"Sounds good. I'll see you then," Edward responded with a nod, turning toward the door again.

"Wait," Bella called after him and he looked back to her, appearing as if he almost expected her to take it all back. "Do you need anything today?"

Edward's smile grew as he lowered his sunglasses back onto his face and shook his head. "No, just a visit this time."

_Holy shit_, she thought as her breath left her quickly, watching as he left with Max in tow. He _had _come to see her. And how had she missed the fact that he'd taken those sunglasses off, and _why_ hadn't she taken the time to notice the color?

_Stupid Bella_.

**x-x-x**

Edward's leg bounced impatiently as he sat on the bench at the park, checking the time again on his watch. It was almost four, but still not past it. She wasn't late. She would show.

Max looked back at his owner, giving him an annoyed look before resting his chin on Edward's knee.

"Oh, shut up. I'm not nervous. Besides, it doesn't mean anything but two people meeting up for dinner," Edward said as if replying to some kind of teasing remark and then rolled his eyes as the dog huffed. "Yeah, I'm not buying into that myself."

The truth was that he'd barely been able to _contain_ his nervousness for the nearly three hours that had passed since he walked out of her store. He'd gone home and taken a long, hot shower, brushed his teeth twice, and spent the rest of his time pacing the floor of his living room until he was almost sure there would be a worn out path along the rug. At that point, he decided to grab Max's leash and head for the park, arriving over a half hour early. His head shot up with every sound of footsteps along the walk, with nearly the whole town seemingly out and about, also enjoying the pleasant weather of the late afternoon. But it was never her, and he'd sigh with another glance to his watch.

"Look, Mama! A doggy!" a small, excited voice rang through the air and Edward looked up at the sound, his breath catching at the sight before him. It was Bella, with a little boy holding onto her hand and tugging it gently.

Bella came to a stop in front of the bench he was sitting on with a nervous smile on her face. "Hi."

Edward stood to greet her, his eyes drifting to the little boy before returning to her. "Hi."

Bella noticeably swallowed hard and took a deep breath, waiting for the line of questions to begin, but they both stood silently until she felt a tug at the bottom of her sweater.

"Who's this man?" Charlie inquired, moving closer to her side shyly but never taking his eyes off Edward.

Bella lowered down next to him, wrapping her arm around his waist and finding her voice again. "Honey, this is my friend, Edward, that I told you about. Edward, this is Charlie."

Edward looked at her as her eyes rose to him and then extended his hand to the little boy. "It's very nice to meet you, Charlie. And this is Max."

"Hi, Max," Charlie said softly, holding his fingers out hesitantly for the dog to sniff and giggled when Max licked them, and then looked to Bella. "I'm hungry, please."

Bella laughed as she rose to sit on the bench. "Okay, but first, we're going to wash those hands."

Edward tried to mask his urge to smile as the little boy looked on in annoyance as Bella wiped his hands down with a baby wipe from her purse, and then eagerly took the sandwich she retrieved from the paper bag she'd brought with them.

"Now, go sit right there on the grass and eat, but don't go too far."

"I won't," Charlie sighed heavily as he ran over to the grass, with Max trailing along with him.

"Will he be okay?" Bella asked nervously, looking from where the dog laid down beside Charlie's legs to the leash Edward still held in his hand.

"Yeah, he's great with kids," Edward replied as he sat back down beside her, watching them intently as well until Bella's hand caught his attention, holding a sandwich out to him as well. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Bella said softly as he took it and then began picking at her own bread, bringing a morsel up to her mouth while trying to find a way to break the ice between them. "So, you said it was a slow day at work. What do you do?"

Her question took him by surprise, definitely not what he was expecting. "I, uh. I'm a pediatrician. I work at the clinic downtown."

"Oh, wow," Bella replied breathily. _How had _that_ escaped local gossip?_ she wondered, but also began mentally calculating how old he must be. She hadn't thought him to be much past thirty, at the most, based on his appearance alone. But just medical school and internship would practically take care of that alone, not to mention his residency and establishing himself in a practice. Her fingers began shredding at the crust of her bread, her eyes remaining lowered. "So, if you don't mind me asking, how old are you?"

Edward laughed softly and turned his head toward her. "I'm thirty-six. Too old?"

Bella's eyes widened in shock; _way_ older than she'd thought. She began running her gaze over him—not a single trace of grey anywhere in his still thick mass of bronze hair, where she found herself startled by the sight of his sunglasses once again perched there. When the hell had she become so unobservant? She immediately shifted her perusal lower, seeing only the subtle smile lines around his hypnotizing, _green_ eyes. There was a faint hint of a scar above the corner of the left one, but nothing disfiguring at all. He was, for lack of a better word in her muddled brain, _beautiful_, and all man. She couldn't imagine how someone like him would still be single, coming up on forty.

"It is, huh?" Edward spoke suddenly at her lack of any further response while she was ogling him, his gaze lowered to his still wrapped sandwich.

"Oh my God, no. I'm sorry. I was just surprised, that's all," Bella replied, her face heating with the flush overtaking her cheeks. "I'm twenty-one. Too young?"

Edward chuckled softly, shaking his head. "No. Just surprised, that's all."

Bella echoed his laugh as he repeated her words and then caught him stealing another glance at Charlie, and then she took a deep breath. "I guess we should approach the elephant-sized question hanging in the air, shouldn't we?"

"You're not obligated to explain anything to me, Bella," he replied gently, shaking his head.

"Charlie's not mine," Bella said and Edward's eyes met hers, squinting slightly as his forehead wrinkled in confusion. "He does live with me and is part of my life, so I did want to have that out in the open right from the start. His name is Charles Swan … Junior. He's my half-brother."

Her revelations only served to confuse him more. "But, he called you 'Mama' just now."

Bella nodded, swallowing hard as tears began rimming her eyes. "He does that from time to time. We don't think it's a totally conscious thing. He's only five, and it's been a very hard, confusing year for him." She paused to take another deep breath to collect herself before continuing. "Our dad and his mother were killed last year in a car accident. Charlie was home with me at the time. And as you can imagine, the state was a little less than keen on a twenty-year-old girl with no job, not even college behind her, taking on the responsibility of a four-year-old. But I just couldn't let him go into the system. He's my brother, and he'd already lost his parents, why should he lose the last of his family, too? And I love him so much. When I look at him, I see my dad all over him."

"I'm so sorry, Bella," Edward whispered softly, resting his hand gently over hers in a comforting gesture, but then froze and began retracting it, shocked by his forwardness. "So, the store?"

"Yeah, it was my dad and stepmom's. They started it up right before Charlie was born. They left it to the both of us in their wills. And I knew it was my only chance to keep him with me, and hold our family together," Bella replied, straightening her shoulders and wanting more than anything to change the painful subject. "So what about you? Any family? Kids?"

Edward shook his head, nodding toward Max. "No, not unless you count him and the ones visiting my office every day."

Bella chuckled softly. "Yeah, he does seem like a bit of a handful. But if it's not too personal, how did _you_ end up with him if he was your ex's dog?"

"Well, part of getting to know someone is to _get_ personal, isn't it? And it's honestly not that much more so than what _you_ just shared with me," Edward replied reassuringly, but she still noticed the hint of tension in his shoulders as he took the first bite of his sandwich finally. He chewed slowly and she became mesmerized by the movement of his strong jaw and the bob of his Adam's apple when he swallowed. "We'd both known it was over for a long time, and even though we were still living together, she started seeing this other guy from her gym. But when the time came for her to move out, and in with him, he turned out to be this health nut, neat freak, that couldn't stand the thought of dog hair or drool all over his precious apartment. And he gave her a choice between him and the dog."

"What an ass," Bella said, looking out to find Max lying on his side with Charlie resting his head back against his ribs.

"Yeah, that's what I said. And I honestly thought that would be the deal breaker for her. She loved that dog more than she even liked _me_ most days, even when things were good," Edward replied, laughing slightly at his halfhearted joke. "She left him behind, though. But that's okay. I got a great dog out of the deal, and like I said, it's almost the same as having a kid."

"You wanted them, then?" Bella asked nervously, knowing that even though they were just getting to know each other, his answer would immediately make or break any possibilities between them. No amount of interest or attraction on his part, or hers, would ever matter more than Charlie.

"Yeah, I always wanted them … someday. And then 'someday' became 'after med school'. Which turned into 'maybe after my residency, since interns don't own their own lives at all', which melded into 'after I get set up in my practice' and 'once I meet the right woman'. And well, you get the picture," Edward said softly with a shrug.

Bella sat silently, becoming more fascinated by the man beside her in just the short time they'd been sitting together that afternoon than in the entire two weeks he'd been coming into her shop. And that, in itself, was mindboggling. She honestly thought she would have difficulty getting him to open up with as shy as he'd seemed every time they'd spoken, especially after the shock of learning about Charlie.

Yet, if anything, he seemed more at ease _after_ being informed of her situation than before. That, and revealing his age. But she had always been a very firm believer in the old "age is just a number" adage, especially following her father's marriage to a _much_ younger woman. Katie had been just a few years older than Bella herself at the time, but she couldn't remember a time when she'd ever seen her father happier, and then came little Charlie—the part of the puzzle they'd never known they were missing.

"I think we might have a problem, Bella," Edward said suddenly, breaking Bella from her thoughts and she focused on him again, watching as he smiled and pointed toward the grass.

She looked in the direction of his gesture to find Charlie sound asleep against Max, while the dog rested his chin on his massive paws. "Oh my."

Edward chuckled and leaned forward on his knees. "I think they've found a buddy in each other."

"Yeah, it definitely seems that way. Why is that a problem?" Bella asked softly as her eyes lowered to the bag of food, pulling out two cookies and offering one to him. Once again, he politely declined and she sighed. "Okay, I swear, I'm not poisoning them, or I wouldn't give them to Max."

"I'm sure you aren't, Bella. I'm not insulting your cooking or anything," Edward replied with an apologetic smile. "I just really _am_ on a special diet."

"_You're_ not a health nut, are you?" Bella inquired with a creased brow.

Edward barked out a laugh, causing Max to slowly lift his head while not disturbing the sleeping child. The amusement faded and he leaned back against the bench again, sighing without meeting her gaze. "Not exactly. I'm just very careful about what I eat. I'm a diabetic, and my levels have been a little more off than I feel comfortable with for the last few days."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Bella replied, shoving the cookies back into the bag.

"Why are you sorry? I've been one since I was a kid. That's not _your_ fault," Edward said, finally looking back over to Bella to find her blushing.

"I shouldn't have just assumed things like that," Bella replied with her eyes still lowered.

"It's fine, Bella. How were you supposed to know? It's not like I put something like that on public broadcast," he said gently and then turned his attention back to the grass. "And to answer your previous question, I think this means we might have to be seeing more of each other."

Bella looked up again to see Charlie nuzzling his cheek more into the dog's side, his body relaxing as soon as he was comfortable. "And again I ask, why is that a problem?"

Edward's eyes met her nervous, questioning ones, getting lost in their soft brown depths. "It's not … for me. I really like you, Bella. As good as those sugar-free jellies of yours are, I honestly didn't _need_ the six jars I have sitting in my fridge right now, still unopened. Or the two bars of soap, or anything else I've purchased in the last two weeks. I came to see you."

It was Edward's turn to blush and Bella's breath became hitched in her throat as he spoke and his eyes lowered in obvious embarrassment at his revelation. It was everything she had hoped for, but never allowed herself to believe. "Why didn't you ever say anything?"

Edward shrugged and his lips pursed as if in deep thought. "I guess I was nervous, which really isn't like me at all. You're just so young and beautiful, I thought it was foolish to think that you'd ever see anything more than a nearly forty-year-old bachelor with a dog. When you could easily have any man you wanted. And Max adored you so much, and I've always felt that dogs were a better judge of character than most people. And I thought when you turned me down yesterday that maybe you already _had_ someone."

Bella laughed without the intention to, shaking her head when his eyes rose to hers. "I'm sorry, I'm not laughing _at_ you. I just haven't really thought much along the line of dating and relationships in a _long_ time. Probably since high school. And Charlie has kept me plenty busy for the last years, so they've been even _further_ from my mind."

"Of course. I wasn't meaning to insinuate anything," Edward replied, attempting to keep his voice level and retain a shred of his dignity. He was surprised when her hand came to rest over his, wrapping her slender fingers around it.

"But that doesn't mean I'm not open to the idea," Bella added softly, turning a little on the bench to face him more fully. "It isn't like I wasn't just as happy to see _you_ walking through that door every day, and not just my buddy over there. I've actually wondered on more than one occasion why there _wasn't _a wedding ring on that hand over there, because I couldn't find a single thing I _didn't_ like about you. And I still can't."

"And you were worried what I would think about Charlie?" Edward asked, and Bella lowered her eyes and nodded. His gaze fell as well to their joined and gave her fingers a gentle squeeze. "To be honest, I was a little surprised when you walked up with him today, but it didn't change my opinion of you at all. I think it's an amazing thing you're doing for him. He seems like a very happy little boy, even with the circumstances, and that speaks volumes of the woman you are. And obviously, I like kids, given my chosen profession."

"Not all pediatricians actually _like_ kids. Some just happen to be good at what they do," Bella replied softly as her thumb began running in a distracted path along his hand. "And I didn't _know_ what you did for a living until you just told me."

"That's true, on both counts. But I can assure you that I actually do. Children were actually the entire reason I chose this career path in the first place. Growing up with diabetes myself, I wanted to help kids that were like me, and even those who weren't. And they are far better patients than a majority of adults, in general," Edward answered with a smile.

Bella gazed into his gentle eyes, seeing the absolute sincerity within them and she felt her heart melting a little more. There was such a depth to him that she never even imagined, beyond his handsome face and the obvious affection he had for his four-legged friend. He was _exactly_ the kind of man she would have created for herself if she could, and the thought actually scared her a bit. He seemed a little _too_ perfect and she could envision herself falling hard for him very easily and becoming very attached. And what if Charlie did as well, and things didn't work out? Would either of them sustain well through a loss like that? She drew in a deep breath and swallowed hard. "So, what are we going to do?"

Edward watched her eyes shift back and forth between his with her question and then waiting for his answer. "I know you have to be careful, for Charlie's sake as well as yours. And we only met two weeks ago, but I would really like to continue getting to know you and see where this goes. If you want to involve Charlie in that, I'm definitely okay with it. But I also understand if you don't, until we have a better idea of where we're headed."

Bella nodded, squeezing his hand gently. "I think that would be best. Maybe we can meet here once or twice a week to talk. My roommate, Angela, wouldn't mind watching him for a few hours. And if I bring him along to see Max, we'll just limit things like this."

Edward smiled in understanding as she lifted their linked hands between them before slowly releasing her hold on him. "And if you don't bring him?"

"Then, I have no objections. It actually felt kind of nice," Bella replied with a soft, shy giggle.

"Bella?" Charlie's voice pierced through the moment and they both looked to the little boy, rubbing his eye with his fist, having just woken up. "Can we get a dog like Max?"

Bella chuckled, lifting him onto her lap and rested his head on her shoulder. "Probably not right now. We don't have much room for one, sweetheart."

Charlie sighed heavily and leaned into her more, his eyes moving to the man beside her. "Mr. Edward?"

Edward smiled at the soft voice of the little boy. "Just Edward, buddy. And what is it?"

Charlie bit his lip nervously as Edward had noticed Bella do on more than one occasion, and he looked remarkably like his sister in that moment, with the exception of his hazel eyes. "Can Max come and play again soon? I wanna throw a ball for him and I've got some at my house."

Edward's eyes met Bella's for a moment until they both looked back to Charlie and she hugged him before replying, "I think that can be arranged. Maybe this weekend sometime?"

Edward knew the question in her tone was directed toward him, so he nodded, but still kept his eyes on Charlie. "I believe Max would really like that. He _loves_ playing fetch, and we're free Saturday afternoon, if that's good for you."

Bella laughed as Charlie nodded as enthusiastically as she could manage. "Saturday afternoon, then."

"And I'll bring lunch next time," Edward added with a smile.

**x-x-x**

Just as they'd planned, they all met at the park that Saturday for a picnic lunch, and Edward and Bella watched on while Charlie and Max ran around for hours playing with the baseball the little boy had brought with him. The conversation between them was light but never lulled, until the sun began lowering in the sky, and Bella announced to a very disappointed Charlie that it was time to go home.

She noticed the subtle, mirrored response from Edward as she stood from the blanket they'd been sitting on, and softly whispered that she'd see him soon.

Yet, Bella found _herself_ disappointed when Monday arrived, after anxiously awaiting it all day Sunday when the store was closed, when five o'clock came and passed with no sign of Edward. She couldn't understand why he hadn't come. Did he have a busy day at work? Or had Saturday made him realize exactly what her life entailed? She was quiet all through dinner, even under Angela's questioning eyes, and went to bed immediately after getting Charlie settled for the night.

Edward had seemed so honest and compassionate, and she'd really felt as if she could trust him. That he wouldn't be one of those men that scared off so quickly. She wiped her eyes quickly and curled into her blankets, determined to just let it go and move forward as she had before anything transpired between them.

When the bell above the door rang at two forty-five exactly the following afternoon, she was actually surprised to find Edward standing there … alone. Fear shot through her heart with Max's absence, dreading the worst from the lack of his visit the day before and the fact that Edward's head was lowered.

"Oh my God, Edward. Is Max okay?" Bella asked worriedly as she made her way over to him.

Edward removed his sunglasses and looked at her, and she noticed a very odd look in his eyes. They weren't red-rimmed or even sad, but nervous. "Oh yeah, Max is fine, just still a bit worn out from Saturday. I don't think he's played that hard in a very long time. Charlie certainly is an energetic little guy, and Max has been sleeping for the better part of the last two days."

Bella's hand rose to her chest and she breathed out a sigh of relief. Max had been all Charlie had talked about since Saturday, and she knew he'd be crushed if anything had happened to him. But more than that, she also knew that Edward would be completely devastated. It was very clear how much he loved that dog. "So, is that why you didn't come yesterday?"

Edward shifted nervously from foot to foot, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Yeah, about that. I was going to call, but then I realized that I didn't have your number. And you're not listed, and with as many times as I've come in here, I've never noticed the name of your store before. I'm sorry, it was a pretty idiotic thing of me."

"Not at all. I didn't remember to give it to you, either," Bella replied, her eyes lowered with that realization. "I thought maybe you were sick of me already."

Edward's gaze shot up and he quickly shook his head. "Oh God, no, Bella. Not in the slightest. Damn, now I feel like a _real_ idiot. I had an _amazing_ time with you and Charlie this weekend. And I was kinda hoping to see you again tonight."

Bella smiled and approached his rigid form, experimentally lifting her hand to rest on the front of his shirt. The hard muscles beneath tensed and then relaxed again under her touch, his eyes holding hers. "I'd really like that, Edward. But on one condition."

"What's that?" Edward asked curiously.

"You give me your number, _and_ your last name," Bella replied with a smirk.

Edward quickly smiled and reached into his back pocket for his wallet, pulling out one of his business cards. "Trust me, I'm not good with technology and you'd _never_ be able to read my handwriting. I picked the right career path for my horrible penmanship as well."

Bella took it and read over the crisp print. "Dr. Edward _Cullen_."

"I'll be needing yours, too. Just your number, though, Miss _Swan_."

"Let me see your phone. I don't even have the excuse of being a physician for my chicken scratch," Bella laughed and took his phone, punching her number into it.

When she handed it back to him, he slid it back into his pocket. "Until tonight, then?"

"Yeah, I should be done here by five-thirty. Same bench?" she replied, her eyes questioning.

"I'll be waiting," Edward said with a nod and slid his sunglasses back on before turning and walking out the door.

Bella was in the middle of a shrieking, 'happy dance' when the bell rang again, and she spun around to find Angela standing there with a raised eyebrow. She could feel her entire body heating under her friend's scrutiny and cleared her throat, attempting to compose herself. "Hey, Angela. What's up? You're early."

Angela's arms folded over her chest with Bella's hurried statement, trying hard not to laugh at her frazzled state. "I just realized that I've been without my wallet all day. So, that was him, huh?"

"What was who?" Bella replied innocently, slipping the business card she still held between her fingers into the back pocket of her jeans.

"Oh, don't play coy with me. That incredible hunk of absolute _yum_ was the mysterious Edward, wasn't it?" Angela asked pointedly and Bella sighed with a brief nod. "_Nice_. Guess some things really _do_ improve with age."

Bella covered her face to hide the furious blush that was spreading over her cheeks and nose, but managed a nod. "Yes, that was Edward."

"Well, damn, Bella. Guess I really should have just left you to your own devices. You sure know how to pick them," Angela said, looking over her shoulder to glance out the front window, even though Edward was long gone.

"Anyway," Bella sighed abruptly, lowering her hands and shifting her weight from foot to foot. "Would you be okay with watching Charlie for a few hours this evening? I have a sotra date with Edward tonight."

"You bet. Whatever a 'sorta date' means," Angela replied with a teasing smirk. "You definitely deserve this, Bella. I haven't seen you smile like this in so long, I was beginning to think it was permanently gone."

Bella brought her fingers to her mouth, running them along her lips and feeling the definitive curling at the corners. She laughed softly in embarrassment and shrugged. "I can't explain it. He makes me so happy when he's around, or when I even think of him, it's scary."

Angela placed her hands on Bella's shoulders, bringing her attention to her and softening her smile. "Don't be scared. This is a good thing. Now, I'm going to grab my wallet and get my ass out of here. I don't want you thinking or worrying about me or Charlie tonight, just concentrate on having a good time tonight, okay?"

Bella took a deep breath and released it slowly with a nod of her head. "Okay."

Yet, even after Angela left, Bella couldn't stop her hands from shaking. She couldn't remember ever being as nervous as she was at that moment. Dating had never been her strong suit, even in high school, but it also hadn't bothered her much then, either. However, Edward was older, so much more mature than she was. What if, once they were completely alone, without even Max as a distraction, she came off awkward and way too damn young? They were fears she couldn't quell and made her feel hesitant about becoming too attached to him—which, from the emotions and thoughts raging through her all morning, she knew it might just be too late already.

**x-x-x**

Once again, Edward sat on the bench in the park, his gaze flickering nervously over his surrounding and waiting for any sign of Bella. He wondered if it would be one of those things that got better with time, that eventually, he wouldn't be so fearful that she wouldn't show up. Her relief when he'd explained where he'd been the day before was palpable, and she seemed genuinely happy upon his request to see her again that night. Her responding smile was so beautiful, it almost hurt to look at. He could only hope that he would continue to evoke that reaction from her for a very long time to come.

_Don't get too far ahead of yourself, Cullen. It's only been a few weeks, you know, _his inner voice reminded him, but he didn't have the chance to think too long on it as he spotted her coming down the path toward him. She had her hair pulled back from her face in a haphazard ponytail, and he thought at that moment that he really preferred it that way, as opposed to down around her shoulders. Not only could she not hide behind it, but it also gave him an amazing view of her face and eyes.

Edward stood to greet her as she came closer, and found himself unsure of how to do so. Should he start with a simple hi? A hug? A kiss on the cheek? The hand? What was the protocol for situations like that?

"Hi," he finally decided upon, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"Hi. Sorry I'm late. I didn't get out of the store as quickly as I was planning on, and I had a Charlie to dodge," Bella replied with a shy giggle, motioning with her hand to tuck her hair behind her ear, except the stands weren't there.

Edward looked at his watch to find that it was 5:35, and couldn't help but laugh. "Bella, five minutes isn't really considered 'late', you know."

"I'm extremely adamant about punctuality. One more thing you should know about me, I suppose," she said with a raised eyebrow and then lowered herself to sit on the bench.

"Dually noted," Edward replied, smiling as he sat beside her and bought his hands to fold in his lap.

"So, any little quirks I should know about?" Bella prodded, trying to find something—anything—to break the ice with him. She hadn't struggled so much with opening up conversation with him on the Saturday before, but being completely alone with him outside the store was something new.

"Um, let me think," Edward began, rubbing his chin with his fingertips. "Well, along those same lines, every clock in my house is twenty minutes faster than the actual time. But I still hit the snooze button at least four times every morning before I actually get up. Drives Max insane."

Bella laughed and it sent a shiver through him. It was such a light, soothing sound, and it caused her nose to wrinkle at the bridge, which he found incredibly endearing. "Yes, I can see how it might."

They both stared down at their laps, seemingly struggling with finding the next topic of conversation, and he had to admit that it worried him a little. He sighed and chuckled nervously, finally turning his eyes to hers. "Why is this so hard?"

"I don't know. I was just thinking the same thing. I mean, we talk pretty much every day," she replied, folding her fingers together and clearing her throat. "I guess not about things that really matter, though, right?"

"Well, maybe that's where we should start, then," Edward said and her eyes met his at last.

Bella swallowed hard as she gazed at him and then turned sideways, folding her leg beneath the other. "Okay, here's the thing. I really like you, too, Edward. It's been a long time since I even _wanted_ to be attracted to anyone. And now with Charlie to consider as well, I'm really trying not to feel guilty for thinking about myself, and what _I_ want and need. I know it's a ridiculous thing to think, but I can't help it."

"It's not ridiculous at all, Bella. It's thinking like a parent, regardless of who actually gave birth to Charlie, and it's completely understandable," Edward replied, shaking his head in an attempt to reassure her, but also felt the tightening in his chest with the fear that her mind had changed about them. "If you're not ready for something like this, it's okay."

"No, I'm not saying that. Just wondering exactly what 'this' is?" Bella answered softly with her eyes lowered again. "I mean, do you want to date, or something a little more casual than that. It's all a lot to consider. And not to be blunt or anything, but I really can't do a booty call kind of thing."

Edward began to cough uncontrollably, masking the shock and awkwardness her statement caused in him. With a hand on his chest, he drew in a slow breath to calm himself and then looked back to her. "Well, seeing as I'm not the 'booty call' type of guy, as you say. I was thinking more along the lines of going on a few dates, even if they consist of nothing more than sitting right here on this bench and talking, getting to know each other. I apologize if I led you to believe anything along those other lines."

"No, you didn't. I just needed to know if we were on the same page, you know?" Bella said softly with a shrug of one shoulder.

Edward's head bobbed slowly with a nod, and then rested the back of his hand on his thigh, his palm up, as he gazed at her again. "I think we are."

Bella's smile gradually increased and took her lip between her teeth to keep from grinning like an idiot as she rested her hand atop his and carefully entwined their fingers. His breath seemed to release with the gesture and she held his eyes as she gave his hand a gentle squeeze. "I think we are, too."

Never looking away from each other, their faces drew slowly together until their lips testingly brushed the other's—the first of many more to come.


	2. Room with a View

**A/N: Here we go again with another challenge. :)**

**Current participants: ericastwilight – kyla713 – SpunkRansom101**

* * *

><p>Challenge # 2<p>

Room with a View

_Edward cursed when his elbow hit the doorframe. "Hey, Swan! Where do you want this box labeled..." he looked down at the label marked "bedroom" and nearly choked when he could see lots of lace and silk from the opening. "Intimate apparel?" _

_A squeak came from the kitchen, making him smile. He could imagine the color rising in her pretty face. The decision to move in with his sister's best friend was the second wisest choice he'd ever made. Right after he made it his mission to make Bella Swan his. _

_Two months before, they had been good friends. They had met when his sister brought her home for the holidays. The poor thing had lost all her family, but gained one when she came to visit the Cullen home over a year ago._

_He wanted her from that first moment he met her. She had rich, brown hair with matching eyes, a body to die for, even when it was often disguised in over-sized t-shirts and hooded jackets. He was damn thankful she preferred skinny jeans— she had an amazing ass._

_However, when they had first met, he'd been living on the east coast, attempting to finish school. While she was on the west coast, with a damn boyfriend of two fucking years, one she lived with, but for some damn reason, he'd never taken her home to meet his family._

_There was something fishy about that shit and Edward's thoughts were confirmed when six months after he met her, she caught the bastard with a girlfriend back home. Even then, the timing had been off. Edward refused to be rebound guy. _

_It wasn't until two months prior, when it was finally set in stone, Edward decided to move back home. Job secured, he only needed a place to stay. As he looked for apartments, he remained at his parents' house, but he needed space. _

_However, despite his new employment, he figured there was no way he'd be able to afford a nice place on his own. During one of his family's Sunday dinners, Bella had joined them, after his sister, Alice, said that Bella was living on a ramen noodle diet. _

_That damn asshole ex-boyfriend left her to finish paying the lease of their house when she couldn't afford it. She was slowly paying it back to save her credit, while living in a shithole hotel for the last few months. And before Edward could even think about it, he asked if she'd be interested in being his roommate. _

_The gloating smirks on his mother's and Alice's faces confirmed that was what they hoped they would accomplish. He seemed to have their support and approval. _

_It was Bella's distressed, "Oh my God," from the dining room that had him dropping the box in his haste to get to her. When he found her in the room, staring out a picturesque window, the look on her face was both horrified and oddly fascinated. _

_What the hell?_

_It wasn't until he turned, to see what had her so transfixed that he'd seen them. Across from their condo, was an apartment they could see into; it appeared to be a bedroom. What probably had Bella's panties up in a bunch, was the fact that there was a couple really going at it. And sitting in a chair, facing the couple was another man, watching them, as he fucked his hand._

_Smirking, Edward threw an arm across Bella's shoulders. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"_

"Well, I don't know what _you're_ thinking," Bella replied with her head shaking slowly back and forth. "But I'm thinking '_ow!_' I mean, look how he's got her legs, that's gotta hurt. And doing that with an audience? Not including the one in the chair over there. So, great, we live across from a couple of exhibitionists. My father will be _so_ proud."

Edward watched as she ducked under his arm to find the box he'd just held and then as she passed him again to head up to her room, shoving it into the closet. He followed her up and stood in the doorway of her bedroom, crossing his arms over his chest.

Bella blew out a breath that sent a loose tendril of her hair flying up with the gust as she turned to look at him. "What? What are you smirking at?"

"You. You're so easily embarrassed, Swan. There's nothing _bad_ about what we just saw. Just two people very comfortable in themselves and their sexuality. And trust me," Edward paused, motioning his eyes to the closet door. "I've seen a lot more and skimpier than that just in the laundry at home from my sister."

"I-I'm comfortable in myself _and_ my sexuality, thank you very much," Bella replied, her voice lowering gradually to just above a whisper by the end of her statement, her face flaming all the more. "I just think certain things should be private. And _definitely_ not with someone in the corner … doing _that_. It's just perverted. And I don't care what you've seen, you're _not_ seeing _mine_."

_God, she's fucking adorable when she's embarrassed,_ he thought as she turned away to continue unpacking. However, his breath caught a little in his throat as she bent over a box, causing her shirt to rise and showing the hint of the white, lacy thong she wore beneath her jeans. His grin increased as he crossed the room until he stood right behind her, leaning toward her ear.

"Say the word, Bella. Masturbating," he whispered and watched her shiver and look away. He looked down between them and he snapped the thin strap that still showed above her jeans against her skin with his fingers. "And don't be so sure about that, Bella."

Bella shrieked and spun to face him with wide eyes, her hand flying behind her to pointlessly tug her shirt down in the back. "Out. Out, out, out!"

Edward laughed as her other hand came to his chest and began pushing him back toward her bedroom door. As soon as it was slammed in his face, his fist rose to his mouth and he bit it to stifle the groan, thanking the heavens he was wearing loose jeans.

_Bella Fucking Swan wears thongs. Fuck me sideways_, he thought as he tried to calm breaths and the ache in his groin before trying to speak again. "I'm gonna order pizza for dinner, is that okay with you?"

"Yup, that's just fine," she replied in a rushed voice and he made his way back out to the living room before making the call to their local Domino's. He knew she liked their cheesy bread and hoped she'd see it as a small peace offering for embarrassing her.

When their dinner arrived, Bella kept relatively quiet as they sat on the rug around the only piece of living room furniture they had until the following day, when the rest would arrive—the coffee table his mother had given them. Edward watched her tuck her little socked feet beneath her and pick at the toppings, but never met his eyes. She'd also thrown on one of her extremely large hoodies that covered her to mid-thigh.

"Bella, I'm sorry. I was only joking earlier. I didn't mean to embarrass you," Edward said earnestly, and she gave him a brief glance before shrugging and taking a bite of her pizza.

"It's no big deal, Edward. Don't worry about it," Bella replied softly once she'd swallowed, taking a sip of her Dr. Pepper. "I just don't like talking about things like that, let alone see it right outside my window."

Edward couldn't help but notice the slight shifting of her body as she spoke and the light tinge of her cheeks. "You're _not_ a virgin, right?"

Bella's eyes widened and shot up to look at him with his sudden, out of the blue question, picking a mushroom off her pizza and chucking it at his forehead. She rose quickly, grabbing her plate and drink and hurrying back to her bedroom, slamming the door behind her.

What the fuck had just come over him? Was he _trying_ to humiliate her into moving out on the very first day of living together? That definitely hadn't been his intention. She was just so much more withdrawn and edgy about the subject of sex than he thought she would be, even as shy as she was. After her initial expression when he'd first seen her looking out the window, he thought even more that she would be a little less bashful than she was—curious, almost mesmerized by the sight, until she was caught.

He felt his phone buzz in his pocket and he pulled it out, chuckling at the thought that Bella had actually texted him from her bedroom right down the hall.

_No, I'm not_, was all it said, causing conflicting emotions to course through him. Part of him wished that she _had_ been a virgin still, as unrealistic as that was. If given the chance, he would have made sure she had the first time she deserved—gentle, caring, something to remember, and he would have fought like hell to be her first and only. Then there was the part of him that was glad she _wasn't_, even if it made him want to break each finger of any man who'd touched her in any way, especially that asshole she'd lived with. Edward didn't want to be the cause of any pain for her, only pleasure and happiness.

_And now, you've gone and set yourself back at least a few doesn't steps_, he admonished himself in his head, staring at her text and not-so-subtly adjusting himself. _And given yourself a raging hard-on to boot. Well done, genius. At least anyone who could see really wouldn't care_.

He finished his dinner and put away the leftovers, deciding to call it a night after the long day of moving and knowing they both had to get up early the next day for the delivery of their couches.

As tired as he was, he could not ignore the agonizing ache in his groin that would not subside, no matter how long he lay there in his bed or how many other directions he attempted to take his mind. The dimples of her back and that damn thong kept finding their way to the front of his mind, bringing his erection to full length. He knew he'd have to do something about it, and there was no way he was even going to attempt to sneak across the hall to the bathroom to take a shower, with his boxers tented the way they were. Knowing his luck, Bella would choose _that_ moment to come out and need to throw her plate away or go to the bathroom herself, and he'd humiliate her all over again.

He rolled onto his side, pulling out the drawer of the bedside table he made sure to get in there that morning, and dug around for what he was looking for. He finally retrieved the tube of lubricant and the towel he'd stowed there, returning to lie on his back. He shoved the sheet and his boxers down, releasing himself to the night air around him. With a generous amount of the cool gel in his palm, he hissed in through his teeth as he began working it along and around his entire length. He closed his eyes and pictured her lips wrapped around him, watching her head bob as she took him in and out of her mouth. Or straddling him, her hands massaging her breasts as she bounced over him, driving them both to orgasm. Or him settling between her legs, burying himself inside her while his lips claimed hers in a heated kiss, their moans of ecstasy mingling in the heavy, humid air caused by their passion.

"Oh fuck, Bella," he whispered softly, but not softly enough.

**x-x-x**

Bella couldn't even finish her pizza or the cheesy bread she loved so much, her stomach was in such a tight coil. Living with Edward was her only option, she knew this, and she was more than grateful for his offer. Not that she necessarily _regretted_ it, or he was the _worst_ roommate she could ask for—quite the opposite.

He was sweet, funny, considerate, and _so_ very protective of both her and Alice. She knew he needed a roommate just as badly as she did, but the look on his face when he found out what her ex had done, had been murderous. And through she'd never admit it out loud, she found it insanely attractive.

If she was in any other place in her life, or he wasn't her best friend's older—albeit sinfully gorgeous—brother, she might have considered returning some of his playful flirting. And if she had _any_ confidence left over from Riley stomping it into the ground, maybe she wouldn't have been so damn self-conscious, hiding herself away in baggy sweatshirts, and could be the least bit attractive to someone like Edward.

However, things _weren't_ that way, and Edward could have any girl he wanted. And to be honest, that was the part of living with him that she was sincerely dreading. She couldn't ask him not to date or bring home girls he was with to his own apartment, but she wasn't looking forward to seeing it.

"Get over yourself. He doesn't see you that way," she muttered to herself, gathering her paper plate and cup to bring them out to the kitchen, and she paused at a noise. She went completely silent, trying to discern where the noise was coming from, when she realized it was right on the other side of the wall, in Edward's room.

Bella's brow furrowed as she made her way to the hallways—he sounded like he was in pain. Just as she was about to knock on his door to ask if he was all right, her heart froze in her chest when she heard him softly exclaim "Fuck, Bella!"

_What the…_

Curiosity got the better of her and she quietly turned the knob, cracking the door open and trying to hold back the gasp at the sight that met her eyes. He was bare from the waist down to where his boxers were bunched around his knees and his long fingers wrapped around his length, stroking himself briskly with his eyes closed and his lips parted in what appeared to be extreme pleasure.

Was he really thinking about _her_ as he was doing that? She knew she should close the door and give him his privacy in such a personal moment, but even more so than with the couple she viewed through the window, she was oddly fascinated. She usually thought it was a perverted type of thing when men—or women, for that matter—did that, but she couldn't find it in her to be at all disgusted in that moment.

_Why is he moaning and saying my name? He could think of Megan Fox or someone that men actually found _sexy_, not me,_ she thought, biting her lip as she watched his hips start to rise and lower with his hand's movements. _But damn, he has a nice body._

"Oh my God, Bella!" Edward suddenly exclaimed and pulled the sheet up to block her previous view. "Shit! Sorry!"

Bella's face burned like an inferno and she quickly closed the door, running back to her rom and dumping her plate and cup into the small trash basket there. She'd take care of that in the morning, she thought and hurried over to her bed to hide under the covers. She'd never been so embarrassed in her entire life and cried at the thought of the weirdness that would be between them from then on out.

_Damn you and your curiosity, Isabella Swan!_

**x-x-x**

_Shit!_ Edward cursed again in his mind, making use of the towel and then rubbing his hands over his face. _Should have gone for the shower, or at the very least, locked my bedroom door._

His erection had disappeared, but he still had the lingering ache in his groin. He couldn't understand why Bella had opened his door, or continued to stand there when she saw what he was doing. Surely, she was completely disgusted by him after that, and he half expected her to be packing up her things at that very moment. Why would a sweet girl like Bella want to continue living with a roommate that she knew jerked off to thoughts and fantasies about her? She was utterly appalled by the neighbors earlier that evening, and they were complete strangers.

Damn it, he had to fix it with her.

He rose from the bed, pulling up his boxers and grabbing a pair of night pants from the box in the corner of the room. Walking out the door, he made his way to hers and knocked gently. "Bella?"

There was not even a hint of a shuffle from the other side, so it didn't sound as if she was packing, at least _yet_. She didn't answer him either, though.

_Now you've really done it, Cullen,_ he growled internally, resting his forehead against the door. "I'm sorry, Bella."

She still didn't answer and he sighed, walking back to his room and closing his door again. Bella Swan would never be his; he'd blown it completely. All because he couldn't keep it in his pants, even if it _was_ only with his hand.

**x-x-x**

The next morning, Bella rose just after five and got dressed, determined to distract her rampant thoughts by continuing to unpack the kitchen. "Pretend it didn't happen, and it will be fine" was her new motto. Everything could just go back to the way it was before, and nothing would be different.

She'd just gotten the coffee pot unpacked and set up on the counter when Edward appeared in the kitchen, completely disheveled from sleep and causing a shiver of nervousness to run through her. Please, don't say anything, she begged in her thoughts, hoping that somehow, he would comply without her having to utter a word.

"Morning," he mumbled in that sexy morning voice that men had when they first woke up, setting her insides trembling as no one else had before, however.

"Morning," she replied softly, turning her attention back to the counter.

Awkward. Very awkward.

"Bella, listen. About last night," Edward started and she began shaking her head rapidly.

"Don't. It's no big deal. I should have just minded my own business and stayed out of your room," Bella replied, trying to laugh it off but it came out as a nervous giggle.

"Bella, I—"

"Edward, please. Let's just not do this. It will just make things weird and I don't want that," she said, cutting him off but still unable to meet his eyes.

"So, you're not going to move out?" Edward asked softly and she finally turned, finding his own gaze on the floor.

"No, of course not. Why would I? Everything is fine," Bella said, offering him a small smile as he looked at her. "Besides, Alice would not work out at all as a roommate. She doesn't, nor should she _ever_, drink coffee. Want some?"

Edward's tense shoulders appeared to relax as she made the attempt at a joke, but it seemed to be enough to make him smile in return, anyway. "I was actually going to take a quick shower and head out to Starbucks. Did you want something from there?"

"Sure. White mocha latte, with extra whipped cream. Thanks," Bella replied, feeling some of her own tension release.

"You got it," he said as his smile broadened and then left the room.

"See, everything will be fine. Just breathe, Bella," she whispered under her breath and resumed unpacking the kitchen.

**x-x-x**

That evening, Edward was in the living room, hooking up the DVD player to the television, when Bella scurried in, carrying two plates with the dinner she'd made on them.

"I think we should eat in here tonight, since we have furniture now," she said quickly, but her face and neck were bright red. "Or at least until we get some curtains for the dining room. I don't need a show with my dinner."

"Are you serious? They're back?" Edward asked in surprise, hurrying over to the window where he could still see the neighbors window from the side across the way.

"Edward! Get away from the window!" Bella exclaimed, curling up at the far end of the couch with her eyes lowered to her plate.

"Wow, they have another friend over there," Edward remarked in amazement and then gasped. "Oh my God, he's—"

"I don't want to know!" Bella shrieked, pinching her eyes closed, burying her chin against her chest as if she wished she could burrow her head inside like a turtle and hide.

Edward chuckled and left the window, walking over to the couch and grabbing his plate. He was relieved that the tension he'd expected between them seemed to be nearly non-existent, but her blush was doing things to him that he knew it shouldn't. "We'll go out for curtains first thing in the morning."

Bella nodded but kept her attention on her plate, shifting her food around with her fork. "Sorry. I'm sure you think I'm the biggest prude you've ever met, and you're probably not entirely wrong, or the first, either. I just don't deal well with … _that_ kind of stuff."

"What? Sex?" Edward asked and watched her shudder, her cheeks darkening all the more. "I don't think you're a prude, Bella. Easily embarrassed, maybe. But not a prude."

Bella sighed heavily and swallowed hard. "Thank you. So can we just not think about or discuss it anymore?"

"Sure. Want to watch a movie or something?" he asked in an attempt to change the subject and she nodded gratefully, and he allowed her to pick the movie.

About halfway through, a heated love scene was playing on the screen and Edward's mind began drifting again in those ways he knew they shouldn't, but he couldn't stop it, either. In place of the blonde actress, he envisioned Bella, soft moans escaping her lips as he moved over her and gripping his back to pull him closer. He admonished his one-track brain as he felt himself harden inside his jeans and then looked up to her as she stood from the couch quickly.

"I'm pretty tired. I think I'm just going to call it a night," she said in a rush, leaving the room before he could even reply.

Wow, that was a bit extreme. And _she_ chose the movie, he thought until he looked down to his lap to find the prominent bulge there and pulled his t-shirt down to cover it. If she'd seen that, she was definitely going to think that he was some sex-starved maniac who couldn't even watch a movie without getting a fucking hard-on.

"You just keep getting yourself in deeper," he murmured to himself before turning off the television, collecting their dishes to deposit in the kitchen, and heading to his room to call it an early night himself.

**x-x-x**

Bella laid silently in her bed, her thighs pressed tightly together in an attempt to quell the ache there. She _had_ seen the evidence of his arousal from the other end of the couch, but how it affected her was completely surprising.

Not only was she turned on by the sight of him hard beneath his jeans, she was _jealous_. As much as she hated to admit it, even to herself, she had enjoyed the thought of Edward being turned on enough by her that it led him to his activity the night before. The idea that he was envisioning her in his mind as he gave himself pleasure didn't disgust or appall her—it excited her.

However, seeing his eyes glued to the screen at some busty blonde actress, becoming aroused by _that_ woman instead caused her self-esteem to deflate just a little further. And even more so at the fact that _she_ was being bombarded with thoughts of Edward like that; how it would feel to kiss him, have him touch her, inside her.

Unconsciously, her hand slipped between her thighs and she gasped in surprised as her fingers grazed lightly over the fabric of her sleep shorts. She'd never been touched by anyone but Riley in that way, but especially not by herself. It felt really good, not embarrassing or awkward as she imagined it would be.

"What the hell," she murmured softly and slid her shorts down her thighs, settling into the bed again and bringing her fingers back to the bare skin of her sex. She began to rub herself gently with thoughts of Edward running through her mind, imagining _him_ touching her that way.

It didn't help. She was just getting more and more worked up without the slightest hint of relief, and she began to get frustrated. She considered getting up and heading for the bathroom to make use of the detachable showerhead that Alice had nearly burst when she saw it, but then realized that she wasn't even sure exactly what to do with _that_, either.

"You're in your twenties and can't even get yourself off. Pathetic, Bella," she said and pulled her clothes back on, turning onto her side with a huff.

From outside her door, she heard Edward make his way to the bathroom, followed shortly thereafter by the running water of the shower. Two showers in one day? Was he…

_Look where your curiosity got you last night. Stop it!_ she hissed internally and then drove her hands into her hair. "I have _got_ to stop this internal monologue thing!"

However, her curiosity once again took over and she slid out of bed, crossing the hall to the bathroom. She slowly opened the door and peeked in before entering, and let out a sigh of relief as she sat one the closed toilet lid. He was _just_ showering. "Edward?"

Edward gasped and dropped the bottle of body wash he was holding, pulling the shower curtain aside enough to look out at her. "Bella? What are you doing in here? I'm kinda showering, you know."

Bella kept her gaze on her hands that were folded in her lap. At least he didn't sound _angry_, just shocked, but her eyes began to tear anyway. "I'm really not a prude."

"Uh, I know? I didn't think you were, but um…"

"Just because I don't openly talk about it, or want to see it happening right outside my window, doesn't mean that I don't _think_ about it ever," Bella said exasperatedly as Edward shook his head, appearing speechless. "I mean, is that what you think?"

"No, I never said that, Bella. But…"

"Is that the kind of woman you like? The blonde hair and the … you know," she whispered, holding her hands in front of her chest a few inches away from her own breasts. She'd always been a little embarrassed by her lack of substance in area, especially since Riley had pretty much insisted that she needed a boob job on more than one occasion.

The shower suddenly turned off and Edward reached out for the towel on the rack, wrapping it around his waist before pulling the curtain all the way across and stepping out. "Why?"

Bella shrugged and stood, certain that she couldn't bear any more embarrassment than she'd already subjected herself to. "Nothing. Never mind. Forget it. I'm sorry I walked in on you … again."

Edward gently took hold over her elbow as she tried to leave, keeping her in place. Her body trembled in his grasp and he pulled her back to him, but she wouldn't meet his eyes. "Bella, why do you ask?"

Bella took a deep breath, trying to find her voice through her humiliation and the sight of his chest with rivulets of water from his shower dripping onto it from his hair. "I know I said I didn't want to talk about it. But … um … last night, you said my name while you were … you know."

"Yes," he replied softly, urging her to continue.

"Well … it was a stupid idea, but I thought maybe," Bella paused, her breath leaving her in a long shudder. "I thought maybe you were thinking about me. But if _that's_ the kind of woman you like, I know that's not the case. I mean, she was beautiful and blonde, and definitely had … _assets_ that I don't. So why?"

"It wasn't stupid, Bella," he said with a sigh and she finally looked up to him to find his eyes closed, appearing as if he was almost as embarrassed as she was. "I shouldn't have done that last night, and I'm sorry if it makes you uncomfortable with me, but yeah, I was thinking about you."

"But _why_?" she asked a little more insistently than she'd intended and felt his hold on her arm loosen. "I'm nothing special or beautiful, or anything like _that—_"

"Bella, you're fucking gorgeous," Edward cut her off and brought his eyes to meet hers finally, and she shivered at their intensity. He looked almost angry at her and she shrunk back from him slightly, causing his features to soften. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. I just can't imagine where you would have gotten any of those ideas. Did _he_ tell you that?"

Edward had never referred to Riley by name, but the venom with which he spoke at the mention of her ex-boyfriend was at a level she'd never heard before. "Edward, you can't fault him for the way he felt."

"Well, tell me this. If you were so damn hideous, why did he date you for two fucking years?" he asked and she ducked her head, wrapping her arms around herself. "No, don't do that, Bella. Come here."

Bella felt her eyes burning as he pulled her in front of him, facing away from him toward the mirror. The dampness of his chest began to seep through the thin tank top she wore, but she was more captivated by the look in his green eyes as they met with hers in the reflection.

"Do you know what I see when I look at you?" he spoke softly in her ear, running his hands gently along her arms.

"Edward, don't do this," Bella said with a sigh, trying to turn away but he held her in place. "My breasts are too small, my butt is too big, my eyes are boring brown, my nose looks like a plastic surgery gone horribly wrong, and I have beaver teeth."

"Stop," Edward cut her off, his eyes getting that severe look in them again. "If that's what he told you, you're well rid of him. Excuse me for being blunt and a guy, but I don't jerk off over ugly women."

Bella's face reddened more than she thought was possible, avoiding his gaze in their reflection.

"Bella, look at me," Edward whispered and she shivered but did finally bring her eyes up, and his hands settled on either side of her waist. "Your eyes were the first thing I ever noticed about you. They are so deep and beautiful, so much so that I was stuttering like an idiot when we met, do you remember?"

Bella's lips twitched into an embarrassed smile at the memory and nodded. She never once imagined it was because he liked anything he saw, just nervous about meeting someone new. Even once she got to know him, seeing that he wasn't at all the nervous type, she'd never given it a second thought.

"This nose," Edward continued, turning her to face him and tracing his finger from the bridge to the tip. "Is simply perfect, there is no other word to describe it, and _nothing_ is wrong with it. That smile of yours can turn the shittiest day completely around, and make me forget that anything was ever wrong in the first place. Your ass—did you know I could do nothing but watch you walk all day long and be completely content just to see that amazing ass of yours sway?"

Bella hid her face in his chest, the only place she could since she knew he wasn't letting go of her. "Edward, stop."

"No, I have one other point to contest. Can I touch you, Bella?" Edward asked in a gravelly whisper.

"Edward, you are touching—oh," Bella replied with a small gasp as she remembered exactly what he would have been talking about, the only other thing she'd mentioned. She felt like a completely naïve little girl. He wanted to touch her in a very intimate way, and while it made her a little nervous—given her experience with Riley, never touching her there any more than he absolutely _had_ to—it was arousing to think of Edward's long fingers coming in contact with her breasts. Her body began to heat, though shockingly, not in embarrassment as she would have expected. "O-okay."

Edward traced his hand along her cheek, humming softly as it ran down the column of her neck, and finally rested on her breast, cupping it gently. "See how you fit perfectly in my palm? Anything more than this would be too much to hold. This is just right, and anyone who says otherwise doesn't know how to appreciate a woman's body."

Bella released a soft moan and closed her eyes as he began to massage her through her thin top, the fabric teasing the sensitive skin of her nipple. It rose to a hardened peak and her breaths started coming in quick succession, never wanting someone as she did Edward at that moment.

"But Bella, it's not just your physical beauty that is so damn attractive that it drives a man to distraction," Edward continued, his voice growing huskier with each word he spoke and causing her to tremble. "I'm not just giving you some cheesy lines here. Even though you are one of the most physically appealing women I've ever seen, your heart and your mind are the most beautiful things about you. You're sweet and caring, not self-absorbed at all. And you don't see how absolutely incredible you are, but I'd like the chance to show you."

Bella looked up to find his eyes closed as he continued to massage her, resting his forehead against hers. She couldn't believe it was all happening; his touch, his words, and the absolute sincerity she felt and heard in them. She slowly lifted her hand to trace lightly over his shoulder and stepped closer, feeling the tip of his erection beneath the towel brush against her abdomen. "Do you really want me?"

Edward's grip tightened on her breast, not enough to hurt but pressing his palm more firmly against her. "You have no idea how much, Bella."

Bella drew in a deep breath, placing a soft kiss on his chest as she began to lower onto her knees in front of him. Her hands rose to the tucked edge of his towel and his quickly came to cover them. "Sorry. I just thought … sorry."

She felt Edward's eyes on her as she quickly retracted her hands, covering her face and sitting back on her heels. He knelt in front of her, his fingers closing around her wrists gently, pulling them to the sides to find tears streaming down her cheeks. "Don't apologize. Tell me what's wrong?"

"You don't want me to do that. It's fine. I just thought men liked that," Bella cried softly, ashamed by her assumptions and how much her inexperience was showing. "Riley insisted on it every time, so I thought that was just how it was. I'm sorry."

"Please, stop," Edward practically begged, taking her face between his hands and lifting it to look at him. His eyes were soft, his touch was gently, and it only made her cry more. "I don't want you just for my own pleasure. That's not what it's all about. I definitely don't _dis_like it, but that's not all I want. I'm not a completely selfish man. Can I kiss you, Bella?"

Bella's lip trembled and she nodded as Edward's thumbs brushed her tears away. Riley had never been so tender and attentive with her, even in their best times. As much as she didn't want to think about it at all in that moment with Edward, the differences between them were staggering and almost impossible to ignore, and it overwhelmed her. Even more so as Edward's mouth slowly descended on hers, kissing her softly and causing her to whimper. His thumbs continued to gently caress her skin before he returned to her, taking her top lip between his and lightly sucking at it, kissing her firmly but never hurried.

"Touch me, Bella," he whispered as he parted from her lips slowly. "Please."

After his reaction to her last attempt at removing the towel, she decided to slide her arms around his waist and run her hands up his back to his shoulder blades. His lips parted slightly as they pressed back to hers, his hand weaving into her hair and tilting her head gently to deepen the kiss. _God , this man's mouth is magic_, she thought as she held onto him tight, pressing her body more firmly against his as she rose from her heels. His arm embraced around his shoulders as the fingers of the hand in her hair continued to massage her scalp, and she couldn't get close though. He was sending her desire through the roof and she wanted him so badly.

"I'm not going to do this on the bathroom floor," Edward murmured against her lips, kissing the corner of her mouth and she felt her hopes begin to deflate. She should have known it was too good to be true, or perhaps she was dreaming and it was her subconscious' way of telling her to wake up. What was there to prove that she _wasn't _asleep? She would never be so brazen as to walk in on Edward while he was showering, he would never say all those things she so desperately wanted to hear with such accuracy, or kiss and touch her the way that he was.

_Don't wake up, Bella. Please just let this happen, even if it's not real,_ she said to herself, holding onto him with everything she had and pressing her lips to his. "Please, Edward. Please."

"Let's go to your room," he whispered and she nodded as they began to stand. He opened the door and then swept her into his arms, carrying her across the hall to her room and setting her down delicately on the bed, kissing her lips gently before rising. "I'll be _right_ back."

Bella rose onto her elbows with her heart racing in her chest, watching him walk out the door. She began her mental pleading with herself again until he came back, closing the door behind him and setting a condom packet on her bedside table.

"Just in case," he whispered again and laid down on the bed beside her.

"In case of what?" she asked as she lowered onto her back again, staring up at him in confusion. She thought it was pretty obvious what was about to happen. "You want this, right?"

"Bella, I wouldn't have gone to get a condom if I didn't," Edward replied reassuringly, grazing her cheek lightly with his fingertips before kissing her again. "It's just in case you didn't have one, and if you still want me after I'm done showing you how a woman _should_ be treated."

Bella couldn't stop the shiver that ran through her with his statement, the excitement and anticipation at the meaning behind it consuming her completely. "I want this. I want _you_."

She lifted her head to kiss him again but he stopped her, running his fingertips along her lips. "Let me show you."

Bella's head settled back against the pillow and he fingers trail from her lips to her throat, down the valley between her breasts to her abdomen, curling around the edge of her top. She took a deep breath and nodded as he looked to her for approval and waited as he gently began lifting the fabric up her body. She closed her eyes while his ran over every inch of skin that was slowly being revealed to him until he brought the shirt up over her head, and she was completely exposed to him from the waist up.

"God, so perfect," he rasped and she stiffened as his mouth closed around her nipple suddenly.

Bella's hand rose reflexively to his hair and she arched her back as his tongue began circling her hardened peak before tugging it gently with his lips. "Oh, God."

Edward chuckled at her shuddered breath, pressing his lips to the inside swell of her breast. "I've barely even started, baby."

Her fingers tightened in his hair in response and he took them gently with his, kissing her palm. "Feels so good."

"I'll make you feel even better. I promise," Edward murmured softly, ghosting his lips and fingers down her abdomen and causing her skin to tingle with inexplicable pleasure. When he reached the waist of her shorts, her legs closed and his hand massaged her hip. "Bella, it's okay. Just relax. I want to see and kiss every inch of this beautiful body."

Bella nervously parted her legs again, closing her eyes, not wanting to see his reaction to what he would find once he removed her shorts. She lifted her lips as he tugged them down, holding her breath when he gasped as soon as she was uncovered.

"Oh my God. Shaved and no panties? Naughty girl," he said with humor in his tone, but when she finally looked at him, she found his eyes darkened and heavy with lust.

"It's still summer and I like to go to the beach. And thongs are a little uncomfortable to sleep in," Bella said softly, praying that he didn't think she was some kind of slut or something.

"Beautiful. Perfect," he whispered, brushing a soft kiss against the apex of her leg, causing her hips to rise in response and moving to her thigh. She whimpered as he began to move away from where she desperately wanted him, and he smiled against her skin. "We have plenty of time."

Bella swallowed hard as his lips continued to work down her leg until her shorts were free of her body. He sat at her feet, his eyes running over her while his hands rubbed her ankles and hers fell to the towel still around his waist. "Are you going to … undress now?"

"Not yet. Spread your legs, Bella. Let me see you," he said, lifting her feet to bend her legs and resting her soles on the bed. Her hesitance must have been clearly written on her face, as his features softened again and he placed his hands on her knees. "Please?"

Bella's legs fell apart slowly and he traced the backs of his fingers along her inner thighs in a comforting motion until they fell to either side of her. She was completely on display for him, and it made her nervous and excited all at once.

Edward leaned forward and brushed a kiss on the inside of each knee, settled his body atop hers to gently claim her lips, trailing his nose along hers. "Don't be afraid. I won't hurt you or push you further than you want to go. I only want you to feel pleasure tonight.'

Men like Edward weren't real, her brain tried to convince her, and she tried to push those thoughts away. She wanted to believe every word he said, that she wasn't just opening herself up to him for Edward to take his own pleasures from her and be done. Such a thing would break her heart more than anything Riley had ever done. _I won't believe Edward is like him. I won't._

"Bella, are you sure you want this?" he asked softly and she looked at him, the question burning sincerely in his eyes, and for that moment, she was not afraid at all.

"Yes, I'm sure," she replied, capturing his lips with hers and throwing caution completely to the wind.

Edward broke away slowly and began his descent down her body again. He lavished equal, delicate attention to each of her breasts, and she writhed slightly beneath him. Then his fingers came between them and she moaned as they grazed the skin that was so desperate for his touch, with his echoing it a second later. "Damn, you feel so good, Bella. You're so wet."

Bella thought words like that would make her want to hide from him, her body's desire for him so blatantly obvious, but they didn't. Everything was so different with him, and he seemed pleased by it, and God, how she wanted to please him.

"I want to taste you," he said as he kissed down her abdomen to settle between her parted thighs, rubbing her in slow agonizing circles with his fingers. "Would you like that, Bella?"

She only nodded and moaned almost wantonly in response, which deepened when his lips replaced his fingers on her clit. Again, he was gentle as his mouth caressed and worshipped her in a way she'd never felt before, every brisk flick of his tongue sending a jolt of pleasure through her. The tip of his index finger circled her entrance, only adding to the pressure of the knot coiling in the pit of her stomach, and resulting in her hips beginning to move in time with his ministrations. She could feel her climax building and quickly, and she began tugging at his hair. "I want you inside me. Please. I'm gonna…"

"Not yet," he mumbled against her, sucking lightly at her skin for a moment before continuing. "I want you to come first."

Bella gasped as first, one of his fingers entered her and then another, unable to breathe in anything more than pants when they began working in and out of her.

"Oh God, Bella. I'm not gonna last once I get inside you. You're so fucking tight," Edward groaned and resumed sucking at her skin, and Bella's legs began to tremble with the onslaught of sensations he was causing within her.

Bella lost all thought as warmth began to spread throughout her entire body and let out a loud moan, her muscles tensing in her legs and around his fingers in an intense orgasm. His motions never relented, giving her even more pleasure beyond simply getting her there, and she began to feel light-headed as it gradually started to subside. Her hips jerked as his tongue ran over her now overly sensitive skin and kissed the area around it as well until his lips pressed back to her inner thigh. Her body felt limp, her muscles like jello as they continued to tremble in aftershocks, and she licked her dry lips as she ran her fingers through his hair. "Now?"

"You still want me?" Edward asked with his cheek resting against her leg. He looked up at her with his eyes widened only minimally from the shock. He appeared as if he was waiting for her to pull away, realize what they'd done, and put an end to it all.

"After _that_, you really think I wouldn't?" Bella asked with a contented smile, tugging him up gently to bring him face-to-face with her. "Of course, I want you."

Edward sealed his lips over hers, moaning against them as his hand moved between them and loosened the towel around his waist. The instant it was free of his body, she watched his face as her fingers encircled his length and took pride in his halted breath when they began to move along him. _She_ was bringing him that pleasure, causing him to move his hips in reflex. He wasn't insanely large as she'd feared from what she'd seen beneath his jeans earlier, but he filled her hand sufficiently and definitely had some length to him. He felt perfect to her. "Bella, please. I'm not going to … _God_."

Bella reached her other hand over to the bedside table, grabbing the foil packet and tearing it open with her teeth. She released him long enough to remove the condom and roll it onto him, and then took hold of him again to position him at her entrance.

Their eyes locked when he began to enter her and Bella bit her lip as she stretched to accommodate him, her hands rising to grip his shoulders as it was still a snug fit. But he took it slow, gently working himself in and out of her until he was fully inside, his body flush with hers. "Feels too good, Bella. Shit."

"Please, just move," Bella whispered, her hips rolling up against him to press him deeper, anxious for the needed friction. "You feel so good, too."

Edward kissed her soundly and passionately, making slow, shallow thrusts inside her and gradually increasing his movements until he was gliding easily in and out with his entire length. She could feel the perspiration building over his back as she ran her hands over it, moaning against his lips as she drowned in the pleasure he was giving her.

Suddenly, his pace quickened and his lips moved to her neck, groaning as he thrust deep inside her with his release and his hand gripping her thigh.

Bella's fingers rose to his damp hair, combing through it with her nails as his body relaxed on top of her and staring up at the ceiling. It was done, but she didn't want him to move; she wasn't ready for it to be over just yet. He felt so good in her arms, his chest pressed to hers and his heavy breaths against her neck. It had been the most incredible experience of her life, to have a man so attentive to her wants and needs, and feeling the same desire for her in return from him.

No, she didn't want to let go.

Slowly, his body did begin to rise from hers and she closed her eyes to hold back the tears, even as he kissed her lips again. Her arms fell from around him as he stood from the bed and grabbed the towel from the floor, wrapping it back around his waist and leaving the room.

Bella rolled onto her side to face the window, pulling the blankets over her and holding them to her chest with her fist. She refused to cry, at least until she heard him return to his own room.

However, she was surprised to feel his presence return to the room and stand beside the bed. "Bella? Are you okay? Do you want me to leave?"

Bella shook her head and then turned it back to look at him over her shoulder, knowing he could see the tears in her eyes by the crease that formed on his forehead. "Can you just hold me for a little while?"

Edward crawled into the bed behind her and slid his arm around her, and she felt the soft cotton of the night pants he'd put on in his absence against the back of her legs as he spooned her body. She nuzzled back into his still bare chest and his embrace secured around her, his lips pressing to her hair. "I will hold you for as long as you want me to."

In that moment, Bella felt more loved and cared for than she had in her whole life, and she fought sleep for as long as she could to hold onto that for as long as she could. Her exhaustion from the emotional rollercoaster of the day and their activities that night finally won over, though, and she drifted off in the warmth and comfort of Edward's arms.

**x-x-x**

When the sun rose the next morning and struck his face, Edward slowly began opening his eyes and smiled at the feel of her against him. Bella had turned over sometime in the night and her arm was wrapped around his waist, her leg between his and her cheek pressed to his chest. He nuzzled his nose into her hair and kissed the top of her head, and she began to stir, her hold around him tightening but her eyes remained closed.

"Please don't leave yet," she mumbled softly, her leg linking around his to hold him in place.

"I won't go anywhere. I told you I'd hold you for as long as you want," he replied gently, tracing his fingers over her bare back.

"I'm just not ready to let you go yet," she whispered, pressing a kiss to his chest.

"You don't have to, Bella," Edward said, his hand splaying across her lower back and pulling her closer.

"Just a few more minutes," she murmured distantly, and he couldn't even be certain she was talking to him anymore as he heard her soft cry forming in her throat. "Just want to enjoy you for a few more minutes and then I can let you go."

The hurt in her voice tore through his heart and he pulled back, despite her attempt to hold him close. "Bella, was last night … is that it for us?"

Bella buried her face against him, hiding from his view and her body began to tremble. "I know I can't hold you, Edward. You could have any woman you want, and you wouldn't have asked me to be your roommate if you wanted more than that. It would make things too awkward if things didn't work out, and I'm a shitty girlfriend anyway."

Edward couldn't help it, her words made him angry and he pulled back from her more. "You really think I would just use you like that? That I'm that kind of man and would do that to you?"

Bella shrunk back from him, pulling the blanket tightly to her chest. "I was a very willing participant, Edward. I knew what I was getting myself into."

"And apparently, I didn't," Edward said sharply, shoving the blankets off him and standing from the bed, watching as she hid her face in the sheet. "I was under the impression that you wanted something with me other than a fun time between the sheets."

Bella rolled onto her stomach to bury her face in the pillow and he caught the sight of her bare leg coming into view from the shifting blanket before she reached down to cover it again. "I can't make you happy. I know I can't. I couldn't even do it for Riley in two years. I wouldn't be able to stand it when you got bored with me, too."

"Riley was a fucking asshole!" Edward exclaimed, that bastard's name burning his tongue from the sour taste it left behind. "I'm _not_ him. I don't use and degrade a woman until something else catches my eye, and leave her feeling worthless. I thought you knew me better than that, Bella."

"Don't be mad at me. Please, don't be mad," Bella cried, curling her body into a tight ball and tucking her head. She looked as if she was preparing to be struck, and that pissed him off even more—but not at her.

"What the fuck did he do to you, Bella?" he asked through clenched teeth and watched as she rolled away again, pulling her knees closer to her chest. He took a deep breath in an attempt to calm himself and then lowered onto the bed again behind her. She flinched when he touched her shoulder and began to cry harder. "Bella, come here. I'm not going to hurt you and I'm not mad. Not at _you_, anyway."

Bella's arm gradually relaxed around her legs and her face turned back to him, still with fear in her tear-filled eyes. "You looked mad."

Edward slowly lifted his fingers to her cheek and she watched him with caution until he touched her, closing her eyes at the gentleness of it. "I could never be mad at you for something like this. I could kill _him_ for making you feel this way and be afraid of me, but I can't blame you. And I don't sleep with my friends for the thrill of it or just to scratch an itch. I meant every word I said to you last night. I wanted _you_, Bella. I still do."

Bella's hand rose to his chest in a hesitant movement and he shivered at the warm touch against his cooled skin. She pulled it back quickly but he took hold of her, pressing her palm back to him over his pounding heart, and her eyes slowly opened to look at him.

"You feel that? _That's_ for you," Edward said gently and kissed her forehead. "Only for you. I'm in love with you, Isabella Swan."

Bella's soft sob brought him to look down at her and her watched a tear fall over the bridge of her nose onto the pillow beneath her head. "You love me? Why?"

"For every reason I gave you last night and so much more. You'll never hurt this way again with me. I only want to make you smile, never cry," Edward whispered, dipping his face to hers and testingly brushing her lips with his. "Please don't cry."

"Not all tears are bad," she replied, shifting her body closer to his and gazing up at him as if to make sure it was okay. His free arm slid underneath her and wrapped around her shoulders, pulling her closer until she was flush against him. He could feel her heart beating against the back of his hand still holding hers, just as hard as his was, and he kissed the wet trail still running over the bridge of her nose.

"I'm not going to rush you or push you faster than you're ready to go. I just would like the chance to make you happy, as you deserve to be," Edward said, gently caressing her neck with his fingertips.

"What about you? Would _you_ be happy?" Bella asked as she turned her hand in his and laced their fingers.

"I can't think of anything that would make me happier," Edward answered softly, giving her hand a gentle squeeze.

"I'm afraid, Edward," she whispered, sliding her leg between his again to move closer. "Not of _you_, but to love again. I want you so much, and it scares me a little."

"I can wait. Forever, if I need to. Just tell me there's a chance," he said, holding her against him.

"There is," she answered honestly and pressed a soft kiss to his lips. "There definitely is."

"Then I'll wait," he whispered in reply, returning her kiss. "I will love you forever, Bella."

Bella released his hand and slid both of her arms around him, deepening the kiss and rolling him gently on top of her again. "And in the meantime?"

"We'll go get some curtains. Because I am nowhere _near_ done with you yet, Miss Swan."


	3. Coffee and Fumes

**A/N: And here is my "beast" for this go round, as I have affectionately called it through the entire time I was writing it. Sorry for the length :)**

* * *

><p>AN: Two hundred fifty to five hundred words (or so) will be written as the beginning of the exercise and you the author must come up with what happens next. Anything is possible. The goal is to see what the possibilities could be and help with writer's block. Word count is unlimited and is completely up to the author.<p>

All _beginnings have been written by ericastwilight_

Current participants: ericastwilight – kyla713 – SpunkRansom101 - cheshirekat516

**Challenge Three – **Coffee and Fumes

_For three years, she came to the same place, ordered her favorite drink of the week, sat at her favorite table and did what she loved to do. She'd been doing it since she was child, and found her calling in writing fiction in a few different genres. It was there, that she wrote her first published book at only twenty-three years of age, and had written three more since. _

_She found her sanctuary in the corner of a beautiful pergola-type patio. Most of the other regulars would pass her by, offering a quick hello, knowing that if her hand was scratching away in her notebook it best not to bother her._

_It was too bad that he wasn't a regular. _

_Cocky, arrogant and annoyingly persistent he was always there when she arrived every Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning for the last month._

_She remembered the first time she met him. She was already sitting in her spot, deep in concentration in a pivotal scene between her protagonists and antagonist. A thunderous roar of a motorcycle, near the turnabout where many people were dropped off, startled her. _

_She scowled at the little tear in her notebook page, resisting the urge to turn around and flip off the asshole. When it happened again, she shifted in her chair, making sure the skirt she wore didn't ride up her thighs, but froze when she heard a deep, rich groan. _

_The sound was followed by another rev of the engine and a noxious cloud of fumes. She wanted to scream, but managed to only glare toward the culprit that dared interrupted her. Instead of an apologetic smile, she met a cocky smirk and matching arched brow. Being a constant observer of her surroundings, her perusal of him was meticulous, taking every detail in._

_He was tall, straddling a huge Harley, dressed in dark jeans and jacket, and black combat boots. There was scruff on his angled jaw, with hints of auburn highlights that matched his hair beneath the spiked helmet he removed and held under his arm. _

_When her eyes returned to his face, she nearly growled at the smirk that seemed to have doubled in size. His eyes were a bright green that seemed to dance with delight. It was his remark that made it worse for him, "Want a ride?"_

"_You can't park there." She cocked her eyebrow, kept her face as blank as possible, and then she yawned. That earned her the hardest glare she'd ever seen. Had Bella known that by doing what she'd done, that he wouldn't allow her a moment of peace, she would've rethought her actions. _

_He parked in the space closest to her table at first. Had spent and inordinate amount of time on his bike, trying to get her attention again. And when that didn't work, he started to sit at the table beside her and get her to talk. She answered in monosyllables each time. _

_Yet, he kept coming back, even started to get there early. His reasoning, he explained once was, "You don't seem to like the Harley. So I thought it would be best that I'd already be here when you arrived."_

_She changed her schedule after that, but it didn't work. He'd been there waiting. After the second week, she'd given up and spent about twenty minutes answering questions every day he was there. Through those questions she found out more about him and she had thought it would be no different that day. _

_It wasn't. Her table was free, but Edward was not at the one beside hers, where he usually sat. She racked her brain, trying to remember if he mentioned something that would explain his absence. _

_Twenty minutes after arriving, lost in her writing, she heard the unmistakable sound of a car parking in his usual spot. Curious, she looked over her shoulder and gasped. She watched as Edward's corded body walked around a black SUV, helping a beautiful little blue-eyed boy from a car seat in the back._

_He offered her a smile as he set the child on his feet, barely reaching Edward's knees. "Come on, buddy." Hand in hand the duo climbed up the patio's ramp, disappearing inside the store. _

_Bella's heart pounded in her chest. Edward Cullen had just become irresistible. She rolled her eyes at her own mind's denial. He'd always been, she knew that even when she tried to deny it, but before he seemed to have only one thought on his mind. _

_Getting in her pants, and he didn't seem the relationship type. She stayed away from those type of men, having been burned twice before. _

_Would a child, whether his or a relative's, prove to Bella that there was more to him?_

_She'd have to wait and see. _

"Come on, kiddo, Let's sit down so you can eat before we go see Mom," Edward said from across the patio, holding the door open for the little boy as he came back out from beneath the man's arm.

_Skip, skip, hop. Skip, skip, hop, _the child bounced across the patio with an energy that was the envy of most adults. Bella was unable to tear her eyes away as he came to the table beside hers and struggled to climb into the chair being held by Edward. "Juice, pwease."

_Wow, such manners for a little boy_, Bella mused with a smile, forcing her eyes back down to her notebook.

Out of the corner of her eye, however, she covertly continued watching them as Edward poured the juice into a sippy cup for the little boy and broke apart the muffin on a plate for him. Bella shifted uncomfortable in her seat, feeling an all too literal ache in her abdomen. She tried to ignore, as much as possible, the ticking of her biological clock at times like that—any man being so gentle and attentive with children. However, with one as handsome and rugged as Edward, seeing the softer side of him tugged at her more than it should.

"So, how is your morning going?" Edward's voice cut through her thoughts and she looked toward him, his aggravatingly sexy smirk back in place.

"Good," Bella replied simply. "No polluting the environment today, I see. The birds and I really appreciate it."

Edward's rich laugh sounded and ran his hand over the little boy's blond hair. "Yeah, his mother wouldn't have appreciated that too much."

Bella tried to nod and keep her smile in place, but more than she wanted to admit, she felt her stomach plummet. "I can see how that could make for an unhappy homestead."

Edward's head tilted slightly as he looked at her, but then his grin returned. "He isn't mine. Caleb is my best friend's little boy. Rose had to work last night, so my little buddy spent the night getting spoiled by Uncle Edward, right, munchkin?"

Caleb nodded enthusiastically as Edward kissed the top of his head, munching on a mouthful of muffin.

_So, Edward has a female best friend? Huh, interesting_, Bella thought. Yet another layer peeled away from the mysterious man she couldn't quite figure out. "So, his dad wasn't available?"

Edward's reaction surprised her—his jaw clenched, his head moving back and forth to crack his neck. He looked angry, and maybe even just a little jealous. Was he one of those guys who had a thing for his best friend, and got broody when other men were mentioned when it involved her? Did he wish he _was_ the little boy's father? Neither his facial expression nor his words gave her a definitive answer. "No, he's not in the picture much."

"Oh, sorry," Bella apologized, lowering her eyes to her notebook again.

"Cwums, Unca Eddie," Caleb said suddenly, tilting his face up. Bella looked over again to see Edward's smile return as he took a napkin and wiped the muffin crumbs from the child's mouth. "Tank you."

"You're welcome, little man," Edward replied and his eyes rose to meet Bella's again. "So anything interesting happening on the pages today?"

Bella chuckled, relieved to feel the air of tension lifted between them. "No, not yet. Hit a snag in the plot that I need to work the kinks out of."

Edward's eyes had a glint to them and Bella quickly averted her gaze. She _never_ spoke of her works in progress with _anyone_ except her agent, yet she had just volunteered information to someone she barely knew. It was the first time she had divulged so much about the subject. What was he doing to her brain? "Well, if you ever want someone to talk it out with, I did take creative writing in college. My professor actually tried convincing me to give up my major and for with writing instead."

Bella felt her brow rise and her jaw drop. "You write?"

"Why is that such a surprise? It's the bike, isn't it? Owning a Harley automatically deducts at least twenty IQ points, huh?" Edward replied with an amused expression.

"Well, you actually wear a helmet, so maybe only ten," Bella teased back and then blushed, not knowing where that had come from. His return laugh set her at ease slightly and she rubbed her fingers along the back of her neck to work out the knot there. "Thank you, but I'll figure it out. I always do."

"The offer is always open," Edward replied and turned his attention back to Caleb. "You just about ready to go, bud?"

Caleb nodded, stuffing one last piece of muffin in his mouth. "I weady. All fuw."

"Okay, grab your cup and let's get you to Mom," Edward said, gathering the trash and plate, and then lifting the little boy onto his hip. "Can you say bye to Bella?"

Caleb turned his big blue eyes to Bella and gave her a shy wave. "Bye-bye, Bewwa."

"Bye, cutie," Bella answered with a smile and the little boy giggled, resting his head on Edward's shoulder with his juice cup at his lips.

"See ya later," Edward spoke softly to her with a smile and a wink, and then began walking away.

Bella nodded and couldn't take her eyes off him as he handed the plate to the barista and disposed of the trash, and then began walking down the ramp. He bounced Caleb on his hip with soft grunts and evoking another round of giggles from the little boy. He was so damn adorable with that kid, it made her ache even more. "You're only twenty-six, Bella. You still have plenty of time."

Her soft murmurings to herself proved fruitless as she continued to observe him while he meticulously buckled Caleb into his booster seat, tugging gently on the seatbelt to make sure it was secure. He looked up to her again as he closed the door, waving once more before settling into the driver's seat and smiled when Bella returned the gesture. She felt so alone after watching him drive away, but instead of welcoming it as she normally would, she sighed sadly. Usually, he would sit and talk for at least an hour, and now, a few minutes hardly seemed like enough.

Bella's mind was so unfocused that after about twenty minutes, she packed up her things and decided to head home. Edward had completely set her off kilter that morning, seeing more of him than just another cocky man with a motorcycle. Everything was different about him in the presence of one little boy—his smile was more genuine, his eyes and voice softer, and completely wrapped around Caleb's tiny finger.

_He'd make a great dad_, Bella mused, her thoughts getting away from her for a moment before shaking them free from her mind.

"Oh, Bella, shut up!" she admonished herself as she pulled into the parking lot of her apartment complex.

Unfortunately for Bella, her mind didn't listen as she sat down at her computer that evening, tapping her fingers lightly on the keyboard, but not typing a single word. She wondered if she would ever figure him out completely, and why it even mattered to her. After several non-productive hours, she closed her laptop and decided to make herself an early dinner, watch some television and then head to bed—the first time she'd been in bed before nine since she was about eleven, without being sick.

Bella's sleep was fitful that night, unable to dispel Edward or that beautiful little boy from her dreams. Behind her closed lids, she saw them running around together in a grassy park, splashing in the ocean as Edward taught the boy to swim, and finally, the most heartwarming of all images her mind could conjure—Caleb atop Edward's chest as they lay on the couch, both sound asleep.

When she returned to her spot on the patio the next morning, she nearly growled in her sleep-addled grumpiness when she saw that her table was taken, and not even by Edward. She begrudgingly took a seat at the next one over, pulling her Kindle out of her bag to read while she waited for the occupants to leave. She was concentrating so hard on forcing her tired eyes over the printed words on her screen that the sound of small, yet heavy footsteps on the wood surface of the patio startled her a little. Her head shot up to find little Caleb moving in his half-skip, half-hop gait and then her eyes met Edward's, though they were covered in sunglasses.

"Did they forget to put the 'Reserved for Bella' sign out this morning?" Edward asked, nodding subtly at her usual table.

"I guess so," Bella replied softly with a chuckle and then looked to Caleb. "Another sleepover at Uncle Edward's again last night, I see."

"Uh-huh!" Caleb announced cheerfully, climbing onto Edward's lap and sitting on his leg once Bella had gestured for them to join her. "We had pisa!"

"Big, cheesy pizza," Edward added with a laugh and then met Bella's curious eyes, and whispered, "M-o-m had a d-a-t-e."

Bella's lips formed a silent "o" and she nodded, and then turned her attention back to Caleb. "So, how old are you, sweetie?"

"I dis many," Caleb chirped, holding up two fingers.

"No, remember, buddy. You just had a birthday?" Edward said, gently straightening another one of the child's tiny digits.

"Oh yeah, _dis_ many!" Caleb exclaimed excitedly, holding his hand up above his head.

"Wow. Three years old. That is _so_ cool," Bella replied and then found herself at a loss for words again when she glanced back at Edward. He looked amazingly sexy that morning in a dark blue t-shirt, somehow making the accents of his messy hair stand out even more. She could only imagine how green his eyes would have appeared since his sunglasses remained covering them.

Edward seemed just as speechless as he continued to gaze at Bella, but there was something different about him that morning that she couldn't quite put her finger on. His smile was off and his fingers tapped impatiently around his cup of coffee until he brought it to his lips to take a sip.

"Unca Eddie, I firsty," Caleb broke the silence, tugging gently on the front of Edward's shirt.

Edward smiled and reached down beside the chair, digging into the small backpack resting there and pulling out the juice cup in there for Caleb. The little boy took it with a soft 'tank you' and rested back against Edward's chest like his own personal recliner as he began taking deep pulls off the cup.

Bella couldn't stand the quiet anymore, so she closed the cover on her Kindle and set it in her bag, looking back to Edward. "So, I'm surprised to see you here on a Tuesday. Thought maybe you worked or something."

_Way to be subtle_, she groaned to herself. _Just lay it out for him that you've noticed his absence on the days he doesn't show and actually put thought into where he might be at those times. Seriously, join a convent now and save yourself a whole lot of time. You'll be single for life anyway._

"Yes, Bella, I actually work," he replied with a bemused laugh. "But tax season is over, so it's a little slower and I have a bit more free time."

"So, you're an accountant, then?" Bella asked, unable to mask the surprise in her tone.

"You make it sound like a disease or something," Edward joked and she watched his cheekbones rise with his smile. "But yeah. And I'm freelance, so I make my own schedule around my clients."

"So, good with numbers _and_ words," Bella said before she could stop herself and then pinched her eyes closed. "Sorry, sometimes I should just not _speak_ words."

"Really, Bella, it's fine," Edward assured her, adjusting Caleb on his lap. "Gives me time to write when I'm not working with a strict eight to five schedule."

"You still write, then?" Bella inquired curiously.

"From time to time. I'm not _published_ or anything," Edward replied and his eyebrow appeared above his sunglasses. "Nice work on 'Beckon of a Dove's Call', by the way."

Bella's eyes widened and her mouth went suddenly dry at the mention of the title of her last book, blushing furiously and speaking softly. "You read my book?"

"Why are we whispering?" he asked teasingly and then smiled. "Is it supposed to be a secret or something? If so, you might want to speak with the baristas in there. It was all they could talk about last week."

"No, I mean, it's just not the kind of book I would expect a Harley-riding _man_ to read. It's a romance," she replied, still keeping her voice low.

"A good book is a good book, regardless of the genre," Edward answered with a quirky smile.

"Mommy!" Caleb squealed suddenly, causing Edward and Bella to look up to see a tall, statuesque woman walking up the ramp. His smile broadened as she lifted her sunglasses to set atop her wavy, blonde hair and crouching to the ground as Caleb squirmed off Edward's lap and ran toward her.

_That__ is Edward's best friend? Now it all makes sense,_ Bella internally sighed, thinking back to his reaction the day before during their conversation. At that instant, she was positive she had pegged him right—he had a thing for his best friend, and hell, who could blame him. _I know I would, too, and I'm not even a lesbian._

"Oh, baby, I've missed you," she cooed as she caught Caleb in her arms and hugged him securely to her. "Did you have fun with Uncle Edward last night?"

"Uh-huh! He give me choc-late miwk," Caleb said cheerfully, his entire face brightening as he gazed at his mother.

"Shh, buddy. That was supposed to be our little secret," Edward whispered conspiratorially, but his smile was more genuine as he stood. "It was only a _little_ cup, I swear."

"Mm-hmm, sure it was," the woman replied, attempting to sound threatening, but failing miserably as she smiled and rolled her eyes when he kissed her cheek. _Yup, these two are close_. "You are such a sucker, Edward. And please tell me you are not using my son to lure some poor unsuspecting woman your way."

Bella's eyes widened when the two looked toward her, shifting slightly in her seat. "No, not at all. We were just talking."

Edward also took on an uncomfortable air, clearing his throat and shoving his hands into his pockets—extremely uncharacteristic of what she had seen from him in the past. He nodded his head toward me and led Caleb's mother over to the table. "Nothing like that. Rose, this is Bella Swan. I make a habit of annoying her with my Harley. Bella, this is my annoying and nosy best friend and Caleb's mother, Rosalie Hale."

"Bella Swan? Like _the_ Bella Swan?" Rose asked with wide eyes that shifted toward Bella. "Holy … shoot."

Bella laughed at the woman's censoring of her words and held her hand out to her. "It's nice to meet you, Rose."

Rose adjusted Caleb on her hip to shake Bella's hand. "Same here. I keep telling him he should get rid of that death machine on wheels, but he never listens to me. But you actually got this bonehead here to read a romance and had him weeping like a baby. That's a feat."

"Thank you, Rose. Strip me of the remainder of my masculinity in front of a beautiful woman, and everyone else within hearing range," Edward said in a low voice, and Bella tried her hardest not to blush.

"Well, that statement right there only acknowledges the truth behind it. And I want my book back, by the way," Rose answered with a smirk and looked to Bella again, drawing tracks down her face with her fingers. "_Weeping_."

"It's in the car," Edward replied, nodding toward the parking lot and nudging her with his elbow, his jaw tense and only causing her to laugh more.

Rose noticed Bella draw in a deep breath and shook her head. "Don't worry, I'm not that type of squealy reader who will embarrass you in the middle of a coffee shop, begging for you to sign my book. I just enjoy getting under his skin. Besides, who knows what state he's left my copy in. He's a spine creaser."

Bella laughed as Rose crinkled the bridge of her nose as if it was the most horrendous offense he could commit. "That's truly a horrible trait indeed. If you want one, I can send a copy along with Edward the next time I see him."

"Really? You would do that? Thank you so much!" Rose beamed happily and then looked to Edward. "It better be _pristine_ when I get it."

"All right, I got it. Come on, let's go," Edward replied, placing his hand at the small of her back and hoisting the backpack over his shoulder. "Excuse me, Bella."

"It was nice to meet you, Bella!" Rosalie called back to her as they walked away and down the ramp.

"You, too. Bye Caleb!" Bella answered and Caleb waved enthusiastically, and then she noticed that her table was free. She gathered her things and moved them over, returning to grab both her coffee and Edward's still left behind. He was planning on returning, she thought with a smile and then shook it off. As she sat back down, enjoying the shade of the umbrella at last, her gaze was drawn out to the parking lot where Rose was settling her son into the back seat with Edward coming to stand behind her.

Bella tried not to eavesdrop, but when their faces took on a more serious expression after Rose closed the door, she couldn't help it, even though their voices were low.

"Thank you for taking him last night," Rose said appreciatively and Edward answered with a nod. "And I'm sorry about what happened. I would have taken Caleb with me, but Emmett was worried he would come back or follow us."

"Rose, it's fine. But if this happens again, you're going to have to call the police," Edward spoke deeply, shifting his had abruptly as she reached up and tried to tough his cheek. "Because if he _ever_ so much as comes near you or Caleb again, one of us won't be walking away."

"Edward, it's his father," Rose sighed, her hand falling.

"At _his_ convenience or whenever you decide to try moving on," Edward growled, his fists clenching as they had the day before at the brief mention of Caleb's father. "One of those sample cups is more of a father than that."

"Please, just don't do this. I would never forgive myself if something worse happened to you," Rose replied sadly and he stepped forward, wrapping his arms around her trembling shoulders. She hugged him tightly around the waist and then nodded at something Edward whispered to her, too low for Bella to hear. They pulled away from each other and he reached in the window of his car beside them, and then handed her the promised book. Rose's eyes met Bella's as she took it from him and her gaze averted to the table, embarrassed at being caught staring.

"Okay, I love you, buddy," Edward's voice rang out again and Bella glanced at them from beneath her lashes, watching as he kissed his fingertips and pressed them to the glass between them.

"Wubbu, too!" Caleb's muffled response sounded from inside the car and he pressed his palm to his mouth, slapping it against Edward's on the other side of the window.

"Love you," Rose murmured, kissing Edward's left cheek and he returned the sentiment in reply, waiting until Rose was safely in her car and backing away before he began toward the ramp again.

Edward forced a smile onto his face as he came back to Bella and sat down in the chair, pursing his lips as he sipped the lukewarm liquid. "Sorry about that. But I think you just made her year. She deserves something to smile about."

"Don't worry about it. Are you okay?" Bella asked, concerned about the way he had winced away from his friend's touch.

Edward's jaw tensed again, and for a moment, Bella thought she had seriously overstepped her boundaries, more so than with the offense of eavesdropping. She was surprised when he wordlessly lifted his sunglasses and she released a gasp as she viewed the purple bruise at the corner of his eye "I'm fine. Just had a little altercation with a certain asshole who thinks he's too good to pay child support, but still insists on interfering in their lives. But I won't continue to bore you with the details. I've already taken up enough of your time."

"You're not leaving, are you?" Bella asked, unable to restrain the sadness in her tone.

Edward gave her a small smile and drained the rest of his cup. "Unfortunately, I have to. I was just waiting for Rose to come and pick up Caleb. I have an appointment in about twenty minutes. But I'll be back tomorrow, if you're around. It's Wednesday, after all."

Bella laughed at the teasing tone returning to her voice, even though she knew it was at her expense. "Okay, I'll see you then."

Edward nodded to her and turned to leave, and she immediately reached into her bag to retrieve her notebook. Unlike the day before, her thoughts were whirling with inspiration, and before he had even begun to pull away, she was already scribbling furiously on the paper.

Three hours, eight pages front and back, and a half a pen later, Bella was already finished with her second iced coffee and her hand was cramping. She knew she should call it a day, but her mind wouldn't stop. She packed away her notebook and grabbed her voice recorder, beginning to ramble her thoughts as she made her way to her car. Despite the obvious tense situation that morning in the parking lot, Edward had been just the inspiration she was needing for the glitch she found in one of her characters.

Gerald's strength was not enough to make Aisling's choice to be with him believable. Brute muscle was not what he needed to possess to make her see that he was the one for her. He required more tenacity, fierce loyalty and devotion to the people be loved. The ability to put others above himself and have a gentle heart, with the physical strength being merely a balance point as well, while not making him flawless. Perfection never made for perfect characters.

Edward had all of those things in spades; she could see that in his interactions with her, Caleb and Rose. She was watching his layers slowly peel away, and behind that cocky smile and the sometimes overconfident demeanor—not to mention the annoying and _obnoxious_ motorcycle—there was a man. A _real_ man with every characteristic a woman could want. An amazing rapport with that little boy, the ability to be a true friend, and willingness to admit his weaknesses. Yet, at the same time, not perfect. For one, he had an obvious temper that he visibly had difficulty restraining at times, especially when it concerned the people he loved, given the "altercation" and the evidence of it in his harsh words and black eye.

All of those things were being blended into her character of Gerald, and suddenly, Aisling's love for him made sense at last. Bella fell onto her bed that night, still mumbling into her voice recorder as sleep began pulling her under.

x-x-x

Bella returned to the coffee shop the next morning more rested than she'd felt in months, and when the familiar roar of a Harley sounded, a smile replaced the scowl that had once been present in response. She stood and walked to the rail of the patio, rolling her eyes when he revved it loudly for effect.

"You know, you still can't park there," she teased once his helmet was off, folding her arms on the wood plank and leaning forward.

Edward looked up to her and smiled broadly with his laugh, obviously seeing the jest in her eyes. "Well, I _am_ a rebel, you know."

Bella laughed and stepped back to the table, sitting down and waiting for him. She was surprised when, instead of going inside to get a coffee, he came directly to her. "Morning."

"Good morning," Edward replied softly, lowering into the chair beside her and frowning as he gazed at her right hand. "Did you hurt yourself?"

Bella's forehead creased but then suddenly remembered the wrist brace she was wearing that morning. "Oh, no. Just a little carpal tunnel acting up. Occupational hazard."

"So, no writing today?" he asked, also noticing the absence of her messenger bag.

"Nope, just coffee today. Giving myself the day off, but I couldn't let you think I was skipping out on you on _your_ day off," she replied, lifting her cup to her lips and taking a sip.

"You're free today, then?" Edward inquired curiously with a raised brow.

Bella's stomach flipped with his question and the way he was looking at her with what seemed like hopeful eyes. "Yeah, I guess I am. Why?"

Edward shrugged and his eyes lowered to his hands, which folded in his lap. "I was gonna ask if you maybe wanted to take a ride with me."

Bella sucked in a breath—he wasn't joking that time. She let it out slowly and began shaking her head. "No, I don't think so."

"That's okay. I understand. You barely know me and I could be a psycho or something for all you know," Edward replied, trying to force another smile.

"It's not that. I definitely don't think you're a psycho, or else I doubt Rose would trust you with her little boy," Bella said softly, watching his eyes return to her once he removed his sunglasses. The bruise from the day before had darkened a little at the center while the edges had taken on a yellowish tint. "I've just never been on a motorcycle in my entire life. They're a bit scary."

"Not as much as you might think. And what's life without a little danger, anyway?" he asked with a smirk. "You'll be completely safe with me, Bella. I've never even spilled out once in the ten years I've been riding. I promise, I'll bring you back in one piece. Please?"

Bella breathed in deeply with his gentle tone, looking down to her apparel. "I'm not exactly dressed for it."

Edward's eyes ran over her, and she fought not to squirm under his gaze. She was wearing a white tank top and skinny jeans, with a pair of thin, canvas tennis shoes. He took off his leather jacket and Bella bit back a sigh as his arms came into view—lean, muscular and with a hint of a farmer's tan beneath the sleeve of his t-shirt. He held it out to her with a smile, the subtle pleading still in his eyes.

Bella swallowed hard and relented, taking the jacket from his outstretched hand and looking down at it. The surface was smooth and well-worn, but still held that distinct smell of the leather, blended with the all-male, mucky scent of Edward. "Helmet?"

Edward stood from his seat and pointed out to his bike, and she turned her head to see a spare resting on the back seat. "Do you think I would have asked if I hadn't come prepared?"

"What about my purse?" Bella continued, grasping at straws while her hands trembled.

"I can lock it up in the back compartment," Edward answered and rested his hand on the back of her chair. "Bella, if you don't want to go, you can just say so. You don't have to feel the need to make excuses. I'll be just as content to sit here with you if you're scared."

Bella shook her head and stood, sliding his jacket one and sweeping her hair out from underneath. It was still warm from his body, and as she tugged it around her, a gust of that glorious mixture of scents flooded her face. "No, I'm good. Let's go."

Edward's smile returned and they walked side by side across the patio, where she disposed of the remainder of her coffee, and down the ramp toward the beast of a motorcycle. It seemed even more monstrous as she stood beside it while he took her purse to lock it up after she'd set the alarm on her car. Her attention was drawn back to him as he began to lower the helmet over her head, a look of concentration on his face while he hooked the strap under her chin.

Bella stood stock still as she watched his long leg swing over the bike and he settled onto the seat, putting on his own helmet. She just realized that she would have to put her arms around him and that thought caused a shiver to run through her body. It was both a thrilling and terrifying prospect, and she was frozen by it.

"You coming?" Edward asked, looking back at her as he slid his sunglasses back on.

Bella quickly snapped out of her trance and nodded, swinging her leg over the seat as well and sitting down behind him. The loud roar of the motorcycle beneath them caused her to jump and she slid her arms around his waist, holding on tightly and trying not to groan as she felt the tight muscles of his abdomen against them. With one more rev of the engine, they began to move and she slid forward as much as she could until her body was pressed firmly against his back.

The light turned green and they turned out onto the road, speeding along the asphalt. Bella was surprised at how freeing the sensation was, feeling the wind gusting around her and almost as if she were flying. No confines of a car around her, nothing but wide open air. He was right—the hint of danger that accompanied the freedom was invigorating, more than anything she'd ever felt. And while they couldn't talk as they would be able to in a car, there was the closeness of their bodies that only something like a motorcycle could afford.

It was nothing less than amazing.

Edward finally slowed after about twenty minutes and Bella felt a hint of disappointment fill her. They were coming to a stop, which meant she would no longer have the excuse to hold him. Once he parked and removed his helmet, she loosened her arms from around him and got off, taking in her surroundings as she lifted hers off as well.

They were at a park of some sort, with a large rock formation towering in front of them, a mix of reds and browns and absolutely breathtaking.

"This is incredible. Where are we?" Bella asked in wonder.

"How long have you lived here that you have never been to Papago Park?" Edward responded with a chuckle, pointing over to a larger parking lot. "Phoenix Zoo is right over there."

Bella blushed and shrugged. "All my life. But I usually come to the zoo to see the animals or the lights at Christmas. I've never come out here."

Edward laughed and moved to the back of the bike to retrieve a saddlebag from the compartment, wordlessly gesturing to her purse. Bella shook her head and he locked it up again, pulling the strap of his bag over his shoulder and resting his hand on her back. "Come on, I want to show you something."

They walked together toward the rock formation and Bella paused at the foot of the trail leading up. "We're climbing that?"

"Yeah, don't worry. I won't let you fall. I come up here with Caleb all the time," Edward replied gently, his hand coming to her elbow and guiding her up the first few steps of the path.

"I'm sure Caleb has more grace in one of his baby fingers than I do in my entire anatomy," Bella groaned after her foot slipped on the dirt, causing Edward's grip on her to tighten.

"You'll be fine. Remember, I promised to keep you safe and return you in one piece," Edward replied with a smile, moving a few paces ahead of her and turning to hold out his hand to her.

Bella breathed in slowly, setting her fingers in his palm as his closed around them to pull her p the incline. His hand didn't release hers as she came to stand beside him, holding on securely as they continued up the path. A few impatient tourists passed around them, but she barely took any notice of them or their grumbling, her eyes transfixed where he held her, until she tripped on a rock. "See, I told you this was a _really_ bad idea."

Edward only shook his head with a chuckle, but she could almost imagine him rolling his eyes at her from behind his sunglasses. His hand tightened around hers more as the trail curled around, leading into an alcove, where voices loudly echoed off the walls of rock, and moving straight through where it opened up again. She looked down to where his bike was parked below and then straight out, gasping at the scenery in front of her, hardly able to believe that she was looking over the busy city of Tempe. "Wow, this _is_ amazing."

"Yeah, I can't believe you've never been up here," Edward replied, finally releasing her hand. "It's no Grand Canyon, but definitely less of a drive."

Bella shivered at the loss of contact with him, her skin feeling cold without his against it and tucked her fingers inside the sleeve of his jacket before she embarrassed herself more by reaching for him again. She returned her eyes to the scenery around her, attempting to hide her humiliating disappointment.

"This isn't what I wanted to show you, though," Edward spoke suddenly, crouching down next to her and lifting the flap of his saddlebag.

Bella watched as he pulled out leather-bound journal and she knelt beside him, while he sat firmly on the ground. He opened the book, revealing a beautifully colored illustration and she gasped. "Oh my God, Edward. Did you do this?"

Edward smiled shyly and nodded, handing the journal over to her. "Yeah. This is what I was talking about when I said I write. It's a book I'm working on as a Christmas present for Caleb."

Bella turned her head quickly to look at him in surprise and he shrugged nervously. Her eyes returned to her lap and she began turning the pages, each one just as colorful as the last, with a story written about the adventure of little Caleb and his Uncle Edward on a safari through Africa. Each figure, animal and landscape was intricately detailed and the printed script was crisp and clear. It could be printed as was, keeping the unique characteristic and personalization the handwriting gave it without marring it with generic type. "So, why _aren't _you published? This is extraordinary."

"I've never submitted anything. It's just a hobby," Edward answered with a sigh. "Besides, a man writing children's books?"

"Like that's never happened before?" Bella retorted sarcastically, gazing over to him. "Dr. Suess, Lewis Carroll, Hans Christian Andersen, L. Frank Baum…"

"All right, point noted and taken," Edward stopped her with a laugh, with the hint of a blush coloring his cheeks. "I don't know. Writing is more of a relaxation tool for me, and it's way too personal for me to consider publishing anything."

"Yeah, I guess I can understand that. We all tend to put a little more of ourselves into the stories we tell than we intend to at times," Bella replied with a nod, continuing to flip through the pages until she reached the end. "So, how does it end?"

"Caleb falls asleep as his uncle finishes the story," Edward said with a smile. "And he begins dreaming of their next adventure together."

"Sounds amazing, as does the uncle," Bella hinted, nudging his arm lightly with her elbow and handing him back the closed journal.

"Thanks," Edward replied softly, sliding it back into his bag. His eyes returned to her right hand and the same hint of a frown touched his lips. "I hope the carpal tunnel means you've worked through your glitch?"

"What else?" Bella laughed as she stretched out her fingers and wiggled them a little, and then her eyes widened at his smile and soft chuckle. "Oh, God. Forget I said that."

"My mind didn't go to the gutter until you started blushing," Edward replied and Bella hid her face in her hands. "So what was giving you trouble, if you don't mind me asking."

Bella pressed her lips together as she glanced over to him again, her mind stirring with the character of Gerald and all the inspiration for him that the man beside her had brought about. There was no way to explain that to him without making her want to leap from the edge of the surface they sat upon in embarrassment, but she also didn't feel the reservation she normally would at the idea of sharing some aspects of her story. After all, he _had_ helped her, however unknowingly. "It was a love triangle problem. There was no real reason I could see for my female character to choose the one she was meant to be with over the other, who was just as good for her, but in different ways and wasn't 'the one', you know?"

"No offense, but love triangles are the worst thing to ever happen to literature, or life, for that matter," Edward replied seriously, folding his hands and resting his elbows on his bent knees.

"You don't believe in the possibility of being in love with more than one person?" Bella asked curiously, shielding her eyes with her hand against the sun.

"Oh, I'm sure it's _possible_. Just not the kind that means you are absolutely _meant_ to be with someone," Edward said, shaking his head. "I believe that if there is a choice to be made, there is no right one. And no one walks away from the situation unscathed. Add that to holding the possibility of doubt later on, as to whether you chose the right one for you, beyond that moment of decision, and there really is no winner in that. That is not something I would want for myself or the woman, should she choose me. It should be about someone you desire above all others, not just your best option. I'd be willing to bet that at least half of the divorces in this country are a result of something like that."

Bella was rendered speechless once again by him, but in utter amazement. His beliefs made perfect sense to her and she found that she couldn't have agreed more. While it did make for a suspenseful novel from time to time, there really was no winner in the end. The depth of thought in the man beside her only served to make him all the more appealing to her, not at all what she expected the first time she saw him ride up on his Harley. He was so intelligent and insightful, and each thing she learned about him fascinated her even more.

"I really am sorry if I've offended you. I'm way too opinionated for my own good," he said with a sigh, cursing to himself under his breath as he looked away.

"No, you're right," Bella replied and his head turned back to her, his eyebrow raised. "I've never actually considered it that way before, but you _are_ absolutely right. I just have to wonder if you're speaking from personal experience or simply a deep seated belief."

"Option B," Edward answered with a smirk. "I'm not only opinionated, but I'm also very selfish. If a woman isn't absolutely certain that it's me she wants to be with, I make the decision very simple for her. Relationships shouldn't be a competition over who can best who. And that's probably why I'm still single."

"There's nothing wrong with waiting for the right one to come along, rather than settling for someone who deems you good _enough_. I would think it makes everything more worth it in the end," Bella said, shrugging her shoulders.

"You're a very unique and interesting woman, Bella Swan," Edward replied softly, lifting his hand to tuck a blowing strand of hair behind her ear as his eyes flickered over her face.

"I could say the same thing about you, Edward Cullen. But a man instead of a woman," Bella said, smiling back at him while her skin tingled where his fingers brushed the skin of her neck as his hand fell away.

"We should probably go," Edward spoke quietly as their surroundings began to fill with people, causing the once semi-quiet environment to be littered with voices.

"Okay," she replied with disappointment in her tone, taking his hand once he stood and rose up beside him.

**x-x-x**

_What the _hell_ did I do today?_ Bella asked herself in her mind as she laid in bed that night, repeatedly thrusting her head back into the pillow.

She should have kept to her original plan; meet him there that morning, give him the book for Rosalie, _maybe_ exchange a few words, and then go home. It was a good plan—a simple plan, but she'd allowed herself to become swept up in his charms with the first roar of his motorcycle. And then, he had to fucking smile.

"Damn it! Why does there have to be an actual _human_ beneath the jackass? I could stay _annoyed_ with just a jackass," Bella groaned, driving her hands into her hair. "But a children's book? Are you seriously _kidding_ me, God? What are you doing to me with this guy?"

And why did she get on the back of that motorcycle? She'd never been on one in her entire life, and had never _wanted_ to, yet he had convinced her so easily. Then, to top it all off, she _enjoyed_ it; the feeling of floating on air as if she were flying, the rumbling beneath her, and her chest pressed firmly against his back as her arms linked around him. She was so close that she could still smell him on her clothes when she got home.

"And damn he smells so good," Bella whimpered, turning over and burying her face in her pillow. She had been a loner by choice since high school and it had served her well in all that time, with no one and nothing to distract her from her craft. She knew that someday, that would change, that she'd want someone to share her life with and children eventually—but not so soon.

And with a guy on a motorcycle? No way. Yet, she couldn't stop thinking about him, nor could she kick the disappointment she felt when they'd left the park and again when he dropped her off at her car. So much so that she almost forgot to give him the book for Rosalie.

Edward was much more than she would have ever thought with her initial impression of him, and it consumed her mind. He was deep, caring, and so damn intelligent, it unnerved her. She felt her heart pounding as she thought about the pages she flipped through that morning. So much passion went into each illustration and printed word. And the ferocity with which he spoke as he gave his viewpoints on love triangles, causing her to rethink her entire storyline.

No one, not even her agent, had ever made her question herself so deeply and she growled in frustration as she looked over to the clock on her bedside table. It was two in the morning and she was still nowhere near sleep. She threw the covers off and got up to grab an energy drink on her was to her desk, settling at her computer.

Bella stared at the document she'd been working on earlier, her hand clenching her hair at the top of her head and she clicked the "x" in the corner. Taking a deep breath, she selected the same file in the folder and struck the delete key, her eyes tearing as she moved the cursor to confirm and closing them as she clicked.

All that work she'd done—gone. However, it wasn't the story she wanted to tell anymore. She needed a completely fresh start and began typing up the new outline of the story she had swimming in her head to send to her agent in the morning—well, _later_ that morning, anyway—with Edward's words running clearly through her mind.

For the next few days, Bella barely slept, ate, or even left her computer. At one point, she even woke up with her forehead resting on her desk and her fingers still resting on the keyboard. Her head throbbed from watching word after word, line after line, fill her screen, but she couldn't stop. She was afraid that if she did, her flow would cease.

Each morning, she contemplated going to the coffee shop, but rain or shine, she always wound up remaining in her apartment. Yet, her thoughts were never far from Edward. She wanted to see him again so badly, it hurt. What if she finally went back, and he wasn't there anymore? She missed his conversation and company, and even little Caleb. She couldn't imagine never seeing them again.

The following six weeks had been the longest she'd spent away from that spot on the patio, but in that time, she managed to complete the entire first draft of her novel, more quickly that she'd ever finished anything. One hundred and twenty three thousand words later, and she had finally typed the final line. She saved it to her flash drive, grabbed her purse and headed out to the nearest copy shop to have it printed. And when she laid down that evening, she felt accomplished and fell into the first full night's sleep she'd had in a month and a half.

Bella stomach was knotted in her throat as she sat at her table that Monday morning, and the longer she was there, the more she felt disheartened. He wasn't coming back. She'd gotten her hopes up, despite her mantra all morning that if he showed, great—if not, that was okay, too.

"Bewwa!" Caleb's excited voice called from the parking lot and Bella's head shot up to see him racing toward the sidewalk.

"Caleb, stop!" Edward yelled in a panic, running after the little boy and scooping him up into his arms just before Caleb darted across the drive-thru pullout. His eyes were closed as he held Caleb against him and visibly released a heavy breath, stroking his hair and waiting for the car that had just slammed on its brakes to pass. The driver yelled at him to "watch his kid" and sped away, with Edward's glare following him. "_Never_ run away from me like that again, Caleb. Do you understand?"

"I sowwy," Caleb replied sadly, bowing his head with tears rimming his eyes.

Edward kissed his hair gently and then looked up to the patio, meeting Bella's eyes and he gave her a little wave. "Hey."

"Hey," Bella replied, watching him as he shifted Caleb onto his hip and held onto him tightly. She felt guilty for being the cause of the little boy running from Edward and was still mulling it through her mind when they came back out, with Caleb still in his arms. "I am _so _sorry about that, Edward."

"It's my fault. I shouldn't have taken my eyes off him for even a second. He's just never taken off on me like that," Edward said, shaking his head and mumbling under his breath before looking back to her again. "So, long time no see. Thought maybe I'd scared you away. I'm sorry I was so persistent about the motorcycle."

"What?" Bella gaped with an astonished laugh and shook her head. "No, I've just been busy. I actually had a lot of fun that day. Would you like to join me?"

Edward offered her as small smile and a nod, settling on the chair beside her with Caleb on his lap. The little boy nuzzled into his chest and wiggled his fingers in a wave to Bella, which she returned in the same fashion, causing the little boy to giggle through his tears.

"I'm surprised he even remembers me," Bella said softly, folding her hands under her chin with her elbows resting on the table.

"He asks about you every time he comes here with me," he replied with a smile and Caleb hid his face in Edward's shirt. "He missed you. A lot."

Bella watched as Edward's eyes rose to hers again, a shyness in their depths that almost had her believing that he wasn't talking about the little boy at all. Which was quite obviously ridiculous, and a whole lot of wishful thinking on her part. They still barely knew each other and children tend to form bonds more quickly that adults. Their innocence and still undeveloped cynicism of the world around them allowed them to trust in a way that grown men and women were all too often incapable of. She smiled at Caleb, finally breaking eye contact with Edward and reaching out to rest her hand on the little boy's knee. "I've missed you, too, Caleb. I just had a lot of work to do. I'm sorry."

"S'okay," Caleb replied with a sweet smile and took his cup from Edward, relaxing against him as he brought it to his mouth.

"I'm his personal recliner, if you hadn't noticed," Edward joked and then drew in a deep breath as she laughed, drawing her attention back to him. "So, who got the girl?"

"Neither," Bella answered with a shrug, chuckling as his forehead creased in confusion. "I trashed the manuscript. I thought a lot about what you said at the park and deleted it that night."

Edward's eyes widened and he brought his free hand to cover his mouth. "Oh, God. Bella, I'm sorry. I never meant—"

"I know you didn't. But it's a _good_ thing," Bella replied and Edward sighed, rolling his eyes and obviously not believing her. "No, really, it is. Talking with you made me realize some things that I never thought about before, and why I was struggling. I wasn't doing justice to my story or my characters by writing something that, deep down, I didn't believe in. So, I'm saying thank you."

Edward's gaze followed her as she bent down to her bag, pulling out the manila envelope she'd slid in there that morning. She set it on the table and slid it toward him, taking a nervous breath as his eyebrows rose. "What's this?"

"It's my book. And I know it's a romance and Rosalie might never let you live this one down, either. But I would love it if you would be the first one to read it. I never would have been able to do it without you," Bella said, swallowing hard but her eyes never left him.

"You finished it already? From scratch?" Edward asked in astonishment and Bella nodded, watching as his fingers rested on the envelope with his name scrawled on it. "Bella, I think you're giving me too much credit. You're very talented, I just have a big mouth."

"Well, I won't argue that," Bella teased him, causing him to laugh. "But you inspired me to write something that I can actually be proud of, not just something I scribble out to fulfill a part of my contract. I understand if you don't want to read it, though."

"I didn't say that," Edward replied quickly, pressing his hand down more firmly on the envelope as she began pulling it away. "So, I was your muse, then?"

"Cockiness might get me to change my mind, too," Bella shot back as he smirked and tugged the packet closer to him. "But yeah, I guess you could say that.

Edward's lips relaxed into an easy smile, even causing a slight simple to appear on his cheek. "Bella, I would love to read it. I'm very honored."

"Wead me stowy, Unca Eddie?" Caleb asked, looking up at Edward innocently.

Edward's eyes widened and he cleared his throat, glancing over at Bella, who was pressing her lips together in an effort to keep from laughing. "Not this one, buddy. I'll read you one of yours a little later."

Bella watched as Edward kissed the top of Caleb's head again, easily placating him. Her hormones raging out of control were going to drive her insane. They sat in silence for a moment, just gazing at each other. She couldn't get over how it felt to be there with him after all the time away, and how much she wanted him to stay. She was hard pressed to remember a time that she'd actually felt the loneliness she had in the past few weeks, even though she'd always been alone. The quiet had never bothered her at all, as it had lately, hence all the time she'd spent writing. Aside from inspiration flowing through her, it filled the empty silence of her apartment and she could forget it for a time.

"So," Edward started, breaking the quiet with a clearing of his throat. "Does this mean you're going to start coming back more often again?"

Bella shrugged non-committally. "Probably. Once I send this to my agent, I'm sure I will have some editing to do, and then notes from the actual editor to go through. And I still have another book to write to fulfill my contract. And being cooped up in the apartment for weeks has made me a little stir-crazy."

"Oh," Edward replied, lowering his eyes and tracing his fingers over the envelope. He sounded disappointed, which both confused and saddened her. He'd actually appeared happy to see her that morning; what had changed?

"I mean, I don't _have_ to," Bella said, her own gaze lowering to her lap until he gasped and she looked back up to him.

"No! That's not what I meant," Edward replied, shaking his head abruptly. "I've missed seeing you here and talking to you. And I'm going to need to give you my thoughts on your book when I finish as well, right? But I'm going out of town for a few days. So I guess it was just my backwards way of asking you for your phone number so I can stay in touch with you."

Bella's eyebrows rose in surprise at his shy tone and nervous demeanor. He seemed more like an awkward teenager asking the popular girl at school out on a date, and that wasn't at all who she thought he was. She'd always envisioned him as the guy who would have been the bad boy, with girls falling all over him and never having to ask for a single phone number. _Another layer, _she thought to herself. _And another example of never judging a book by its cover_. "Of course, you can have my phone number."

Edward smiled and shifted to slide his hand into his pocket. His eyes widened as he pulled it back out, patting his jeans and shirt, and sighing. "Damn, I forgot my phone. Rose is going to have my head."

Bella reached into her bag and pulled out a pen, writing her number on the envelope and then looking back to him. "Send me a text later when you get your phone. I don't answer private numbers, so that way, I'll know it's you."

Edward nodded, sliding the envelope into the backpack at his side and lifting it onto his shoulder as he stood with Caleb in his arms. "Will do. I'm sorry I have to leave. I'll be talking to you soon and see you in a few days?"

"I'll be here. Have a safe trip," Bella replied with a smile. "See you later, Caleb."

"Bye bye," Caleb answered, waving enthusiastically to Bella as they began to walk away down the ramp.

Bella caught Edward's eyes as they passed and he gave her a smile and a wink, and then made his way to the car. She decided to head home herself, having nothing to do and feeling that loneliness settle in again that she couldn't shake.

Once back at her apartment, she found herself pacing and biting at her thumbnail, checking the phone in her hand every few minutes for a new message. Each time the light blinked, she felt her heart pound and then fall again when it was only an email.

After three hours, she sat down on her couch, flipping through the television channels mindlessly to pass the time. Did he forget? Or change his mind? Her stomach was churning as she thought, _what if he's started reading and hates it_, and then her phone began to blink again.

_Sorry. Couldn't find my phone and then had a raving mother to calm. Talk to you soon. Edward_

Bella slapped her forehead with her palm. "You need to quit being so damn paranoid, Bella."

She continued to mentally berate herself as she saved his number to her contacts and then began typing her reply.

_No problem. Hope you have a good trip. Can't wait to hear your thoughts._

Bella paused, staring at the unsent text and shaking her head before deleting the last statement and signing her name to it. She didn't want to seem over-anxious or pushy, even though his opinion mattered to her more than it really should have. After sending it off to him, she made her way to the kitchen, anxious for something to do in order to distract her mind, so she impulsively decided to bake.

_Nothing passes time and kills monotony quite like making bread, cookies and muffins,_ she thought. _Even if I _am_ the only one who will be eating it_.

"You are so depressing," she mumbled under her breath and then groaned loudly. "And I _really_ need to quit talking to myself."

She got herself busy and by the time she laid down that night, she felt somewhat accomplished, and also had another text from Edward sitting there, staring back at her.

_Sitting at the airport, waiting for my flight. Starting to read. Thank you so much for making her a brunette, not a blonde ;) ttys_

Bella chuckled nervously, blushing a little as if he was sitting right there instead of on a plane somewhere, as the text was sent over an hour before. And most likely, still reading. "God, what was I thinking? This is nerve-wracking."

x-x-x

Bella saw more and more of Edward's personality emerge with each text he sent her as he read. He was very passionate in his opinions, even causing her to laugh at some of his rants that went on for three or four messages. There was rarely a full hour that passed where he didn't contact her, with the exception of the wedding he was attending on Wednesday. And even then, she got one saying _Who gets married in the middle of the week? Only my family :(_.

That night, Bella was just stepping out of the shower and she heard her phone ringing in the bedroom. She quickly wrapped her hair and body in towels and rushed out, grabbing it just as it stopped ringing.

"Damn it," she cursed, seeing two missed calls from Edward and immediately dialing back.

"Hi, Bella. Am I disturbing you?" Edward asked when he picked up, his voice soft.

"No, not at all. I am just getting out of the shower. What's up?" Bella replied breathlessly, trying to sound casual despite the racing of her heart at the sound of his voice.

Edward cleared his throat with an "oh", and was quiet for a few moments before taking a deep breath and continuing. "So, I got to this point in the story, and I had to call. What do you mean Lorcan leaves?"

"Oh, that," Bella replied, sitting down at the edge of the bed and removing the towel from her hair. "Did I not explain that right? Too abrupt?"

"No, his reasons were explained fine, but yeah, abrupt is an understatement. I mean, he loves her and wants to be with her, but he's going to do something idiotic like _that_?" Edward began in another one of his passionate rants. "Why do men become so _stupid_ when they fall in love?"

"He just doesn't think he's good enough for her. He's seen and done things in his life that makes him feel unworthy of someone so pure and innocent," Bella replied with a shrug.

"And breaking her heart is so much better? God, he's so stupid," Edward retorted and Bella could imagine him tugging roughly on his hair as he began mumbling under his breath.

"So, should I change it?" Bella asked nervously, tugging at her lip with her fingers.

"No, just," Edward groaned and then sighed. "Can you at least tell me that she doesn't become some wilting flower that thinks she's worthless without him?"

"Wouldn't that kind of spoil the reading experience?" Bella asked in a teasing tone and he grunted stubbornly in response. "Fine. No, she doesn't."

"Okay, good. I hope he comes back to find her moving on because he was an idiot. And he has to fight tooth and nail to get her back," Edward mumbled, almost like a petulant child.

"Other than that, how is it so far?" Bella inquired nervously, though she felt silly in her current lack of confidence.

"Bella, if the story wasn't amazing, you'd never hear me this animated about it. And I wouldn't want to knock Lorcan senseless. Your portrayal of the characters and the emotions are perfect. Don't be so hard on yourself. You know I just have a big mouth and I'm overly opinionated," Edward answered reassuringly and she released a slow breath of relief, chuckling in response. "I'm flying back tomorrow and will likely finish this on the plane. Can we meet up Friday morning at the coffee shop?"

Bella couldn't stop the smile that stretched across her face and she stood up abruptly, the towel falling from around her and onto the floor with her movement. "Shit!"

"What? Do you have plans that day or something?" he asked softly.

"No, I just dropped my towel. I'm sure my neighbors appreciated that," Bella replied, shrinking down to the floor to hide behind her bed and covered her face with the towel at his chuckle. "Oh, God. TMI!"

"More like 'lucky neighbors'," Edward said and then cleared his throat loudly. "I, uh… I'm gonna go and read some more before I go to bed. I'll see you Friday?"

Bella released a shuddering breath and swallowed hard, still reeling from his previous statement. "Yeah, I'll see you Friday. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Bella," he replied and she ended the call, thrusting her head back against the side of her mattress.

Every time she talked to him, he became more and more of that perfect combination of sweet and passionate mixed with a little jackass and flirt and a dash of shyness and gentleman. That perfectly imperfect recipe of the man she'd based Lorcan on. She only hoped that he didn't read _that_ within the pages of her novel.

x-x-x

The next morning, she rose to find her phone blinking again, and after going through several emails, she came to a text from Edward.

_You're probably still sleeping with the time diff. Boarding now, almost done with the book. Amazing work. :)_

Bella's smile grew effortlessly and she stood from the bed, heading off to her shower to start the day. She was nervous about hearing what he thought of the book as a whole and had no idea how she was going to be able to wait until the following day.

More than that, however, she'd missed _him_. His texts and phone call had been great, but she wanted to _see_ him, and she still had at least twenty-four hours to wait. Maybe he would at least call that night? Or she could call him? No, she would not appear that desperate.

Bella attempted to fill her time with reading, but she couldn't concentrate on the words. She went to her computer to attempt jotting down some notes for her next book, but ended up playing solitaire instead.

Around two, she jumped as her phone rang beside her, looking down to see Edward's name lighting up the screen. Her hands shook with excitement and she even dropped her phone twice before getting a good grip on it, answering softly, "Hello?"

"Hey. Are you busy?" Edward asked, his voice gravelly and rushed.

_That doesn't sound like a good sign_, Bella thought, rubbing her hand over the back of her neck. "Not unless playing countless losing card games counts as busy. Why?"

"I need to see you. It can't wait 'til morning, if at all possible," he replied in a hushed tone and she could hear every step he took, and brisk exhales of his breath.

"Um, okay. I can be at the coffee shop in about twenty minutes or so," Bella said nervously, dragging her fingers through her hair.

"No, uh. I need to see you privately, if I can. How far are you from Sky Harbor?"

Bella's breath caught in her throat—he wanted to come _there,_ to her apartment. She hadn't had _any_ man at her place since her father's last visit, and that definitely didn't count. That was _Dad_; Edward was completely different.

"I know, I'm an ass for just inviting myself over like this, and you can tell me no. But I would _really_ like to see you and not anywhere public. Please," Edward continued, sounding more desperate with each word and ending with that final plea.

Bella couldn't say no to him, and in that moment, she really didn't _want_ to, either. "I'm about thirty minutes east. Did you just land?"

"Yeah, and I still need to hit baggage claim. Can you text me your address and I'll be there in about forty-five?" he asked, calming slightly.

"Sure. I'll see you soon," Bella replied and they said a quick goodbye.

She sent him her address and shot up from her chair, rushing around the apartment to straighten things up and load the dishwasher. Once she was done, she glanced down at her apparel and groaned—no _way_ was he seeing her in her frumpy, lounge around the house comfy clothes.

Running into her bedroom, she began tossing around her clothes until she found the jeans and top she was looking for and quickly slid them on. She remained barefoot so she didn't _appear_ like she was trying too hard and threw her hair up into a haphazard ponytail, with ten minutes to spare.

That left her ten minutes to agonize over his urgency of seeing her the instant he landed; what couldn't wait until the next morning? She couldn't sit down, so she made a pot of coffee to keep herself busy and had just set the carafe back in when the buzz of her callbox sounded.

Bella's hand pressed to her abdomen where her stomach was flipping as she made her way to the door, taking a slow breath before pressing the answer button. "Hello?"

"Hey, it's me," Edward's voice came through the grainy speaker, distorting it slightly, but it was definitely _him_.

Bella buzzed him in and rested her forehead on the door, trying to collect herself. "Breathe, Bella. Just breathe. And for the love of God, don't make a fool of yourself."

Edward's soft knock vibrated against her skin from the other side of the wood where her brow rested, and she took one last deep breath of preparation before pulling it open. There he stood, slightly disheveled from his flight and his hair a complete mess, sticking up every which way, but still devastatingly gorgeous. The first few buttons of his shirt undone, wrinkled around his hips where it had obviously, at one point, been tucked into the waist of his jeans. She watched his Adam's apple bob as he swallowed hard before he began to speak. "You failed to mention the nine page love scene at the end."

Bella's mouth dropped open and she felt her face burning, continuing down her neck. "Was it bad?"

Edward's eyes widened and began shaking his head quickly. "Are you kidding? But did I mention _nine pages_? And all while I am sitting next to an eighty year old grandmother?"

Bella stiffened as she caught sight of the man from across the hall stepping out of his apartment and gazing at them questioningly. She took Edward's arm and pulled him inside, closing the door behind them, "As you can see, I _do_ have neighbors, and some of whom do _not_ know what I do for a living. And I would like to keep it that way."

"It's not like you sell yourself on a street corner, Bella," he replied and then lowered his eyes in sincere apology. "Sorry."

"And I'm sorry I didn't warn you. I guess I just figured you'd know it was coming since you did read my last one," Bella replied, folding her arms around herself nervously.

"Yeah, I did. Just wasn't quite prepared for _that_, especially in a period piece," Edward answered, clearing his throat and shifting uncomfortable.

"I'll remember to warn you next time," Bella said without thinking, watching the movement of his chest and hips, and then her eyes met his sharply again. "I mean, not that I'm expecting you to read anything else of mine. I feel a little bad for even forcing _this_ one on you."

"You _didn't_, Bella. And I'm glad you asked me to read it. I couldn't put it down, and I'm a _man_. It was nice to read something that actually had story and _one_ sex scene, and not a little bit of plot thrown into a bunch of sex. If this doesn't make it to the bestseller list when it's published, there is something seriously wrong with this world," Edward replied, holding her gaze and stepping closer to her. "And Aisling was everything a woman _should_ be, and what I'd hoped. Strong, beautiful, and she didn't _need_ him. That made her love and want for him all the more believable. She didn't depend on him to validate her existence and make her whole, or fall all over him when he came back. She made him _prove_ that he loved her before taking him back. Very powerful character."

Bella couldn't break her eyes away from the deep, intense green of his and she swallowed hard, unable to truly read him. It made her nervous, but at the same time, stirring something deep inside her. He intrigued her and he was so close to her, she inhaled his musky scent and tried hard to restrain the shiver wanting to course through her body. "And Lorcan?"

"_He_ needed _her_, but not in the way that makes him a weak man or character. She was his balance, his other half, and it brought the fight out in him that was missing before. The fight for what truly mattered," Edward replied and his breath ghosted over her face with his closeness. "But I have a confession to make."

Bella stilled, running her tongue over her dry lips in her nervousness. "What was wrong?"

"Nothing…with the book," he whispered in that gravelly tone she'd heard on the phone, shaking his head. "On the contrary, I found myself relating to Lorcan more and more throughout the story. I understood him and his feelings of not being good enough for her. Undeserving. Thinking she would be better off without him, but wanting her so badly, it made him almost selfish."

"You did?" Bella asked breathily, her chest rising and falling quickly with her respirations.

Edward nodded, his eyes moving between hers. "I didn't call you the moment I landed _only_ to discuss your book. I wanted to see _you_. I missed you every second I was away, even more than I have for the last six weeks. And that's saying a whole lot. I kept finding things to text you about, and that call…I needed to hear your voice. I just happened to have found a reason without coming across _truly_ pathetic. I know I can't really hope that you feel the same way, but I had to tell you before I went crazy. You've completely consumed me. And I hope this isn't the last time I see you."

Bella felt her pulse pounding in her throat as his eyes grew sad and broke contact with hers. She took a step closer to him, fighting the urge to touch him but relishing in the heat radiating from his body. "Why would it be?"

"You could feel awkward around me now. You don't think of me that way. I've just made a complete ass of myself, falling at your feet. There are plenty of reasons, Bella," he replied softly, shrugging his shoulders and finally lifting his eyes to hers.

Bella couldn't hold back anymore and brought her hand to rest gently on his face, tracing her thumb over his cheek. "If that's making an ass out of yourself, then I guess it's my turn. I've missed you, too. And I wasn't 'giving you too much credit' when I said I couldn't have written this book without you, Edward. You were more than just my muse, you were my inspiration behind Lorcan. So much so, that I even changed his name from the original, because he wasn't Gerald anymore. Not even close. You made him the man he was with the man that _you_ are. Will this be the last time _I_ see _you_?"

Edward's eyes flickered as he gazed at her speechlessly, seeming to absorb what she had just told him. He then closed them and rested his forehead on hers, his hands slowly coming to rest just above her hips. "I'm a jerk at times."

Bella sighed, weaving her fingers into his hair as she'd only imagined down dozens of times before. "I'm a neurotic mess pretty much all the time."

He chuckled softly, gently squeezing her waist. "I can't give up my motorcycle."

"Gives me just one more reason to hold you," she said with a meek smile.

"I'm a neat freak."

"I did a Flight of the Bumblebee cleanup before you got here."

"A gym junkie."

"Couch potato."

"Allergic to cats."

"I guess I can live without them."

Edward paused, sliding his arms around her and pressing his palms against her back to pull her closer. "I've fallen in love with you, Bella."

"Well, that's one thing we share in common, then," Bella whispered, rising up on her toes to brush his nose with hers. Her heart pounding the way it was against the walls of her chest emphasized the truth in her words. She _did_ love him—God, how she did. She couldn't put her finger on how or when it happened, but it had. He _was_ her perfect man, the one she had been unconsciously waiting for. "And that's what truly matters, right?"

Edward didn't answer with words, but instead, sealed his lips over hers and gripped his arms rightly around her waist. She moaned into his kiss, her fingers clenching in his hair at the feel of his solid body pressed against her. She brushed her tongue lightly over his bottom lip and he went rigid, breaking away from her and breathing heavily. "Bella, we need to stop, or this might go too far. I'm still recovering from the effect your love scene had on me, so my control is not the best."

Bella opened her eyes and felt his hips shift subtly away from her, and her eyebrows rose. "Is that why your shirt is untucked?"

"Like I said, I was sitting next to an eighty year old grandmother," Edward mumbled softly, swallowing hard.

"I thought men were more _visually_ affected by things like that," Bella said, still not releasing him and running her fingers along the back of his neck.

"It was pretty vivid, Bella. Not difficult to visualize, even without the _actual_ imagery," Edward admitted, his hands moving up and down her sides. "But I didn't come here for that."

"Would you think less of me if I told you I wanted it?" Bella asked nervously, the corner of her lip pinched between her teeth.

Edward gazed at her and shook his head slowly. "No. But don't you want me to at least take you out on a date or two first?"

"You'll still want to even if this happens, right?" Bella inquired, tilting her head curiously.

"Of course, I will. Why wouldn't I?" Edward replied with a tightened brow and she shrugged, lowering her eyes. "Bella, I don't sweet talk women into bed just to have my way with them and leave. I'm a jerk at times, but I'm not a complete asshole. Has someone done that to you before?"

Bella shook her head quickly and drew in a deep breath. "No, nothing like that. And I'm not a virgin or anything. I mean, I'll be twenty-seven in September. But I'm not overly experienced, either. There's been no one at all since college."

Edward appeared to be mentally doing the math in his head and then his eyes bulged. "_Years_?"

Bella cleared her throat and looked down again, shrugging. "I've been busy writing my books and haven't really thought _that_ much about it. Haven't met too many men along the way and no one I actually _wanted_ this way. And I _do_ want you. But if you want to go on a few dates first, that's okay."

Neither of them moved for a few moments and she listened to the sound of his slow, uneven breathing. She was scared that she had turned him completely off, the practically born again virgin that she was. A man like Edward seemed as if he would want a woman who knew exactly what she was doing, with at least a little experience behind her. And not just the minute amount _she_ had.

Then, she felt his hand rise to the back of her head, pulling the hair tie loose and allowing the strands to fall down onto her shoulders. Her eyes rose to his face again and watched his gaze move over hers as his fingers ran through her hair. "We've had several mornings over coffee."

Bella nodded as she continued looking up at him. "And the day at the park."

"Long enough to fall completely in love with you," he whispered, ghosting his lips on hers. "I've never opened myself up to anyone this way. Not even Rose."

"Neither have I," she replied, wrapping her arms around him again. "I trust you."

"You probably shouldn't. But I'm glad you do," Edward replied huskily, pressing his lips to hers again and holding her tight.

Her feet left the floor as he lifted her closer to him, his hand cupping the back of her head and his tongue brushing over her lips until they parted. She brought her legs up around his waist and moaned as their kiss deepened, feeling him pressing between her legs. Her body was aching more for him that she could ever remember feeling with anyone else, however limited her experience was. She'd felt lust and desire, but it was nothing as powerful as that.

_Is this what it feels like when you fall in love? Everything becomes more intense, fuller? _she thought as his mouth moved fluidly with hers.

Bella had written about love, described it in a hundred different ways, but never what she was feeling right then. Red-hot, fiery desire, mixed with tender emotion and passion. She wanted him to take her and consume her completely, to feel his skin against hers, but not there in her living room, or against a wall, or on a table…

"My bedroom is straight back there. Please ignore the mess," Bella whispered against his lips, clasping his face between her hands as she continued to kiss him repeatedly in breathless pants.

"Last thing on my mind, baby," he replied in a deep, resonating voice that sent tremors through her and she whimpered as he began carrying her down the hall. He pushed the door open with his knee and as they reached the bed, his foot caught on a pair of her jeans she'd tossed across the room earlier, sending them toppling to the bed together.

Bella kept one arm around him as they both started laughing, covering her face with her free hand and his forehead rested on her shoulder. "Casualty of the Bumblebee Rush."

Edward lifted his head and pulled her hand from her face gently, lowering his lips to hers and weaving their fingers together. "Still not thinking about it, Bella."

Her hand ran through his hair again and she moaned in ecstasy, losing herself in the feel of his lips and his body above hers. It was beyond heavenly. "Shit."

Edward froze in his motions and opened his eyes, parting from her slowly and watching her forehead tighten. "What's wrong? Change your mind?"

"No. God, no," Bella whispered, clutching him to her and kissing him firmly. "This is going to kill the mood, but I don't have anything and I'm not on the pill or shot. Never had the need for any of it."

"Bella, I'm a guy. We carry something in our wallets from the time we hit puberty," Edward replied, brushing his lips on her cheek and her hold around him loosened a little. He leaned down toward her ear, kissing her earlobe before continuing. "Doesn't mean I make a habit of using them. I've thrown more away still wrapped than used."

Bella sighed heavily and gripped around his shoulders again. "I know, insecurity is _so_ attractive."

Edward's hand palmed her cheek and she opened her eyes to see him smiling down at her. "You're way too hard on yourself, you know that?"

Bella didn't have a chance to respond as his mouth began moving sensually over hers, and she felt his length press firmly between her legs with a roll of his hips. Her previous thoughts fled her mind and she was once again flooded with desire for him. She tightened her thighs around him and turned them over, straddling his hips and taking his face between her hands, kissing him with fervor. She was desperate for him and she was beyond caring about showing it.

Edward's hands ran down her sides, cupping around her ass and pulling her to him, groaning against her lips. "Fuck, I want you, baby."

Bella sat up, causing his breath to hitch with her movement over him, and lifted her shirt over her head. She held his gaze as she reached back and unhooked her bra, curling her shoulders to shrug out of it and swallowing hard against the lump in her throat when his eyes lowered to her breasts. He rose from the bed without a word and sealed his lips over her pert nipple, rolling his tongue over it and her head fell back at the sensation it sent straight to the pit of her stomach. Her fingers began clawing at his back, aching to remove the shirt from his body and feel his skin against hers. He brought his hands between them to unbutton it the remainder of the way and allowed her to push it down his arms.

Bella tossed the shirt to the floor and watched him lay back down, her eyes running over his sculpted chest and arms. _Gym junkie, indeed, _she mused silently before lowering to him again and pressing her lips to one of his pecs. His muscles flexed under her touch as she continued kissing down his body, moaning against his hard abdomen and tugging at the button of his jeans with her fingers. Her lips brushed over the dusting of hair leading down into the waist of his pants as she lowered his zipper, glancing up at him with a smile. He returned it and lifted his hips to allow her to tug his jeans down his legs, removing his shoes and socks to toss his clothing onto the gathering pile of fabric on the floor. He reached down for her hands, pulling her back up to him and flipping her onto her back. As he rolled on top of her, she waited for him to kiss her again, but he only brushed his nose along her jaw before moving down her body and unfastening her jeans. She shivered when he pulled them and her panties down her legs, pressing her thighs together as she lay there completely naked, every imperfection of hers on display.

Edward knelt on the floor at her feet, kissing her anklebone and running his hands along the sides of her calves. "Are you sure you want this?"

Bella's tongue darted out over her lips and she nodded. "Yes. I'm very sure."

"Then just relax, Bella," he whispered with one last brush of his lips on her skin and then reached back for his jeans to retrieve his wallet and the foil packet residing inside.

Bella watched as he parted her legs with his hands and crawled between them, pressing the condom into her open palm and kissing along her inner thigh. Her chest rose and fell rapidly as he moved closer to where she ached for his touch and gasped as she felt his fingers make contact with her slickened skin. It had been so long she she'd felt a man's touch in such an intimate way and her hips bucked the moment his mouth came in contact with her bundle of nerves. "Oh shit!"

"We only have one condom," Edward mumbled against her, sucking lightly at her skin. "I'm going to make sure you get yours at least once."

"Dawn, I'm a lucky woman," Bella replied, intending it to remain inside her head, but he rendered that capability impossible as his lips closed around her again and a single finger entered her. His deep chuckle resonated through her and her hips rose against him, moaning loudly with the pleasurable vibration it caused. Her hand released the packet and she brought it to his hair as her body writhed beneath him. "God, don't stop."

"Mm-mm," Edward hummed, causing her to pinch her eyes closed. His tongue circled her as he added a second digit, groaning at the snug fit and replacing his lips with his thumb. "Damn, Bella, you feel so good and I'm not even inside you yet."

Bella whimpered when his fingers curled within her, clenching around them as the heat began rising in her body more with each of his movements. She was dangling on the edge, so close to falling, but something kept her there. She began moving her hips in time with the thrusts of his fingers, trying to reach that peak and groaning when it continued to elude her. "Please … your mouth … I need … your mouth … again."

"Fuck, baby," Edward moaned, claiming her with his lips and giving her just what she needed to send her shattering below him.

Bella's entire body shook violently, her breath lodged in her throat with the intense orgasm surging through her. Her muscles were rigid and her grip tight on his hair, but he never relented until finally, she melted beneath him and her breathing resumed in heavy pants. Her arms fell to her sides, her fingers searching for the condom and closing it securely in her hand. "Just give me a second."

Edward removed his hand from her and crawled up her body, kissing the corner of her mouth. "Take all the time you need, Bella. I'm not going anywhere. And damn, you're so beautiful when you know what you want."

Bella chuckled and turned her head to press her lips firmly to his, her arms encircling him slowly. He was so damn tender and gentle with her, despite the solid muscles she felt beneath her fingertip that could easily overpower her, and it only made her want him more. She slid one hand down his side and into the waistband of his boxers, feeling the curve of his hipbone and tugging his bottom lip lightly with her teeth. "Get up and take them off."

Edward's eyebrows rose at her sultry tone and then he smirked, rising up on his arms to lift off her. "You do it."

Bella growled at his teasing and shoved his boxers down over his hips, and then brought her hands to his chest to push him onto his back again. "Demanding, aren't you?"

"And you're not?" Edward replied and she rolled her eyes, moving down his body to discard the final article of clothing between them.

Bella straddled his thighs, circling his length with her fingers and stroking him as she tore the packet open with her teeth. She took a moment to gaze down at him, his eyes closed and lips parted with the pleasure she was giving him. He truly was a sight to behold and she could have sat there staring at him all night if she didn't want him inside her so damn badly. She pulled the condom from the packet and rolled it down his erection, leaning over to kiss him as she positioned herself over him. "No, I just know what I want, remember?"

Edward held his breath as she began lowering onto him and brought his hands to her hips as she winced a little when he was only halfway inside her. "Go slow."

Bella nodded, closing her eyes tightly to hide the hint of embarrassment she felt at not being able to take him inside her all at once. His fingers massaged her skin and then began guiding her movements in slow rises and descents, pressing a little deeper each time. She breathed in labored pants as she stretched around him until she finally settled over him completely and swallowed hard, opening her eyes to look down at him.

Edward gripped her firmly as she began to move and shook his head. "Just stay right here for a second."

His voice was deeper than usual and she traced her fingers along the tightened tendons of his neck. "Are you okay?'

"Yeah," Edward whispered and then cleared his throat. "A little _too_ okay, maybe. You feel … God, you feel amazing."

Bella rested her forehead against his and breathed slowly, running her thumb along his jaw. "Tell me when."

Edward nodded and gradually, his body began relaxing and his hands rose to her waist. "When."

Bella lifted her hips and lowered against, moaning as he filled her. Their eyes met as they began moving together, his hold tightening and guiding her into a rhythm with him. She'd never felt anything like that before, taking their time to really enjoy each other instead of racing for the finish line, and for that, she was glad.

_That_ was what she wrote about and dreamed of having for herself one day. She was amazed that she could _feel_ his love and passion for her in each of his movements, in every look in his eyes as he gazed at her. Sex had never been really _bad_ for her, but it _was_ empty. But not anymore.

Edward's arms encircled her waist, turning them over again to settle above her. "I'm close, Bella."

Bella hitched her leg along his side and his hand gripped her thigh as she began rolling her hips in time with his thrusts. She was close, as well, and the added friction against her over-sensitive skin from his previous ministrations increased the tightening of her abdomen tenfold. Her fingers grasped his shoulders and her back arched, soft whimpers escaping her lips as she built up. They eventually increased to incoherent murmurings that rumbled in her throat and she clenched around him, sending them both hurdling over the edge together until he collapsed on top of her, breathing heavily.

"I really do love you, Bella," he whispered after a moment, pressing his lips softly to her neck.

Bella's fingers traced along his neck and she kissed his damp hair. "I love you, too."

x-x-x

Twenty minutes later, Edward had returned from the bathroom and they lay side by side in her bed. She felt so content in that moment with his arm wrapped around her shoulders as her head rested on his chest, tracing the lines of his muscles with her fingertips. Questioning the how or why they got to that point together so fast would drive her insane, she knew that. So she decided to not think about it at all, and simply enjoy it. She wanted him, he wanted her; he returned to her in bed instead of getting dressed to leave. He'd laid himself out on line for her, knowing she could very easily have turned him away. She had no reason to doubt him at all.

"So where would you like to go for our first _official_ date?" Edward asked, pulling her from her thoughts as he ran his fingers through her hair.

"Photo studio," Bella replied with a smirk stretching across her lips. She lifted her head and chuckled at the confused look on his face, kissing him gently.

"Why a photo studio?" he mumbled against her lips.

"Well," Bella stated, nipping at his chin lightly. "I wanted to ask you this before, but after seeing this body, I'd even be willing to beg."

"What?" Edward asked as her hand trailed down his chest to where the sheet was draped over his hips and back up.

"Would you be willing to pose for my book cover?" Bella asked, causing Edward's eyes to widen. "You're the perfect body type and you _did_ inspire Lorcan, after all."

Edward was silent for a few moments, his expression unreadable, and she began to think that he might actually say no. Then a slow smirk appeared on his face and his arm slithered around her waist. "You want to flaunt what's yours to your adoring public?"

"Well, not originally, since it wasn't mine," Bella whispered shyly, lowering her eyes to his chest. "But yeah, maybe a little."

"Bella, I've been yours from the first glare you shot at me," Edward replied and she looked up at him again, his other hand rising to trace along her cheek. "And the first time I felt your arms around me, I knew I'd never want another woman for as long as I lived as much as I wanted you. I'll do it. Face, too?"

Bella shook her head quickly, taking her lip between her teeth and pressing her body more firmly against his side. "Oh no. Some things I want to keep all for myself."

Edward sucked in a sharp breath as her hand gliding down his chest toward the sheet and covered it with his. "Bella, we can't."

"I know. Guess I'm going to be making an appointment with my doctor for the shot as soon as possible," Bella sighed, sliding her arm around him and kissing his jaw. "Thank you."

"Okay, I have a condition for this," Edward began and she lifted her head, tilting it slightly in question. "I'll put on the kilt and bare my chest for you, if I get to see you in the corset."

"You want me in the shot with you? On the cover of my own book?" Bella asked with wide eyes and he nodded, the cocky smirk that she loved to hate—and loved to hate to love—curled the corners of his mouth. She growled slightly and gave him a narrowed glare, causing him to raise an eyebrow. Then her lips lowered to his passionately and she moment against them. "Deal"

Edward pulled her to lie across his chest, gliding his tongue along hers when his phone began ringing from the pocket of his jeans on the floor. "Shit."

"What?" Bella asked as he kissed her again and then rolled out from beneath her to grab his jeans, mumbling "Rose" under his breath. She sat up, clutching the sheet to her chest and watched him fumbling for his phone in the pocket.

"Hello? Yeah, I know, sorry. I forgot to call. I had something I needed to do. Is he still awake? Okay, yeah, I'll be right there," Edward spoke quickly into the phone as he began pulling his clothes back on and then looked to Bella.

She gave him a smile that she hoped was convincing, and tucked the sheet around her as she rose. She knew that he most likely had plans with Rose and Caleb that night, and had gotten sidetracked with her; she just needed to collect herself a little before she could watch him leave. She couldn't even figure out why she felt that way—it wasn't as if he were just walking out on her and she would never see him again. And she wasn't the only one that he'd been away from for the past three days.

"Hey, Rose?" Edward's voice sounded behind her softly, long after she thought he'd hung up, and his arm slid around her waist. "Would you mind if I asked Bella to come along with me tonight?"

"Bella Swan?" Rosalie's voice screeched through his phone and he had to hold it away for a moment as his ear rang. "Oh my God, Caleb would love that! And I wouldn't mind seeing her again for a bit!"

"Okay, hold on," he said, the phone still a few inches away, and turned his head to Bella, kissing her cheek. "Feel like babysitting with me tonight?"

"Really?" Bella asked, searching his eyes and finding an almost pleading look in them. He wasn't any more ready to leave her than she was to watch him go, but he _had_ missed Caleb, also. And she had to admit, one of the sexiest things about him that made her fall in love with him in the first place. "I'd love to."

Edward kissed her soundly, ignoring Rose for a moment and smiling against her lips. "Okay, Rose. Give us about twenty minutes."

"Edward Cullen, what did you do?" Rosalie yelled into the phone just before Edward hit end call.

"I'm gonna pay for that later," Edward said with a chuckle, turning her around to face him. "But so worth it."

Bella giggled against his lips as they met hers again and he pulled the sheet off her, tossing it to the floor. "Edward, we have a little boy waiting for us. And a best friend you just hung up on."

Edward sighed, bringing his hands up to cradle her face. "Yeah, I know. I love you."

Bella hummed in contentment as he kissed her gently, her hands running up his sides. "I love you, too. And coffee and juice is on me in the morning."


End file.
